Attic Girl
by ShakespeareNerd13
Summary: "Lilly Clearwater was a mystery to the harsh new world. It was a wonder she had survived the summer. While friends and family had been ripped to shreds before her eyes over the months, the young woman had managed to remain bite-free. Her method was surprisingly simple: Avoidance."
1. Chapter 1

Lilly Clearwater was a mystery to the harsh new world. It was a wonder she had survived the summer. While friends and family had been ripped to shreds before her eyes over the months, the young woman had managed to remain bite-free. Her method was surprisingly simple: Avoidance.

While people around her had chosen to fight for their lives, taking risks and facing the danger, Lilly had always run away. Rather than confront the horror around her, she hid. The apparent end of humanity had forced others to grow a hard, rough shell. They'd become tough and cold and always poised to strike at whatever came for them. Lilly had acquired a different sort of shell. Yes, it was hard, but it was something much more smooth and unabrasive. Lilly had become numb, in a way. Small, unnoticeable. She couldn't afford to feel emotions if she wanted to survive. It was better to hide in the darkest corner possible rather than face this new reality.

Hiding out in a cabin in the middle of nowhere was incredibly lonely, but in Lilly's mind, it was better to be alone than to risk being eaten. At first, Lilly had tried to mark the number of days she'd stayed in the well stocked cabin, but lost motivation after three months. The days had moulded together into a bland routine of sleeping, eating small portions of canned food, checking the locks on the doors, and sitting with nothing but her own thoughts to keep her occupied. Never once did Lilly look outside. Apart from the danger of a walker somehow realizing she was there, looking outside would make the nightmare real. Sitting and thinking disconnected her from that. She could pretend that the world wasn't ending, that her loved ones were still alive somewhere.

While avoiding life works for a while, the day always comes when you have to face reality - and Lilly's time was up.

It was chilly outside and the sun was setting. The night would only get colder now that winter was here. With a shuddering breath, Lilly gripped several blankets tighter around her small frame and watched the visible air puffing from her mouth. She was curled up in the attic of the cabin, as far from the walkers on the ground as possible. For a moment, she thought about how her method was no longer working but quickly pushed the fear aside and focused on something else - the fact she needed to cut her nails, for instance. As the temperatures had started dropping, Lilly knew in the back of her mind that she would never survive winter at this rate. She just didn't want to admit it to herself.

Just as she was starting to tune out the scary world around her, Lilly sat up slightly. Something was off. She went through a mental list of the locks - she had checked them all today. She had eaten the usual meager amount. The windows were closed as always, concealing the ever constant image of monsters wandering around outside.

Her ears perked up. The usual sounds of the dead groaning were absent. It was eerily silent.

Then Lilly heard a click. It was coming from the front door below. Her heart skipped a beat. The clicking continued, and after a tense moment, she heard the door creak open, followed by the sounds of footsteps entering the house.

After months of sitting alone, Lilly didn't know what to do. She hadn't seen other living people in such a long time. The last she had seen were a group of raiders that had killed the last of her family. She had barely escaped. What if these people were the same? The cabin was a good place to stay safe for a while, good enough for someone to kill her for it.

As more footsteps entered the cabin, Lilly curled in tighter on herself. The smart thing to have done - the thing that a survivor would do - would be to charge down their with a weapon and claim territory. But as before mentioned, Lilly was a mystery to the world of survivors. Instead, she chose to stay where she was and pray that they didn't check the attic. It was getting dark - even if they did, she might be able blend with the shadows enough.

With a weak but desperate prayer, Lilly squeezed her eyes shut and waited.

…

"You check upstairs, I'll keep to this floor." Daryl Dixon nodded in agreement to Rick's orders. Confident with the familiar feel of the crossbow in his hands, he slowly stepped up the rickety set of stairs. They complained slightly under his feet, despite his careful steps. Reaching the top, the hunter could see that there wasn't much to check. There was a single bathroom that looked forgotten by everything but dust. Next to it was a tiny bedroom, absent of everything but a broken dresser and a mattress, stripped of all blankets and sheets. Daryl frowned a little. In the face of the apocalypse, one would think to pay no attention to bed covers.

As Daryl stepped back out of the bedroom, a casual glance to the ceiling led him to discover the door to the attic. He didn't think much of it, only an idiot would stay up there without taking care of the walkers outside. But there was the possibility of someone hiding up there and becoming a walker.

Reaching a toned arm up to the latch of the attic door, Daryl carefully lowered it and allowed a ladder to descend. It squeaked, causing him to wince. When he heard nothing respond to the loud noise, however, Daryl relaxed, readjusted his crossbow over his shoulder, and climbed up. The sight above was dark and depressing. There was a single window in the attic that had been covered with cloth. On the opposite wall of the window was a stack of canned food. Daryl perked up at that - the group had been running low. It wasn't much, but anything helped.

As he got off the ladder and stood on his feet in the attic, another sight caught his attention and made him tense again. It had almost escaped his notice because it was hidden in the shadows - but not much escaped the hunter's attention. He gripped his crossbow in his hands again and squinted. It looked like a pile of blankets - maybe the ones from the bedroom below. Somebody had brought them up here. Judging between that and the cans of food, it was clear that someone had lived here.

Daryl aimed his crossbow at the mass of blanket. There was no way that someone was still alive - if they had been, surely they would have cleared the walker's outside. If there was a body up here now, it wasn't human anymore.

Once he had crept close enough to touch the blanket, Daryl readied his crossbow for the possibility of a walker under there. He reached his hand out and yanked it back, immediately seeing a figure curled up in the corner and stepping back to aim at its head.

A small yelp stopped him. "No, don't! Just - leave me alone!"

Daryl refrained from shooting, but didn't lower his weapon. "Who are ya? Are there others?"

The figure remained curled in the shadows, so he could only see the small outline. With a few shaky breaths, the person replied. "No, just me. Please don't shoot."

It was a girl's voice, seemingly hoarse from disuse. Sure she wasn't a threat, but unwilling to take any chances yet, Daryl kept his crossbow aimed. "Come out where I can see you and we'll talk about it."

Her only response was a shaky breath.

"I said come out!" Daryl ordered. So what if she was scared? He didn't have time to spoon feed a possible threat.

"Okay!" the voice replied quickly, repeating the word under her breath. Daryl watched as a pair of sock-covered feet poked out of the darkness as the figure stood. When she stepped out, he couldn't help but wonder if he was seeing a ghost.

Before him stood a slip of a young woman. A grey sweater hung limply off frail shoulders, falling to her mid-thighs. Her legs were covered with faded blue jeans. While the way her clothes hung off her skeletal frame was bothersome, it wasn't what made her ghostly. Her skin was sickly pale, as delicate as porcelain. Tangled, greasy dark hair tumbled around her shoulders, almost waist length. As Daryl took in her huge eyes and faded pink lips, he imagined she would have been stunning in another life. Even in this horrific state, there was still an edge of prettiness about her haunted appearance. That was saying something - Daryl was not one to find people attractive.

With sunken eyes, the woman stared anxiously at him. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. She was just standing there like a deer in the headlights, wringing her hands instead of gripping a weapon. It was clear that the frail thing was no threat - the slightest kiss of the wind could make her snap. With a sigh, Daryl lowered his crossbow. The woman didn't relax one bit. In fact, Daryl thought he saw her tense even more.

"What's your name?" He asked her evenly.

Her eyes flickered around wildly for moment as she took a breath, and again he resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It was a simple question! From the way she constantly shifted her weight from one foot to another, swallowing and licking her lips uncertainly, he surmised that she must have been alone for a while. Catching her constant nervous glance towards the crossbow in his hand, Daryl sighed once again and held his free hand up.

"Listen, I'm not gonna hurt you, kay? Here, I'll set this down if it helps." She watched him slowly lower the weapon to the ground, poised to fly away at the slightest unexpected movement. Once Daryl had stood again, both hands up to show he wouldn't hurt her, he tried again. "My name is Daryl. What's yours?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but had to clear her throat before any sound came out. "Lilly."

"Lilly," Daryl repeated quietly. She reminded him of a frightened animal that had to be coaxed into security. "Okay, Lilly, I have a group here. Do you mind if we stay for the night?"

Lilly hesitated. "Last time I met someone with a group, they killed what was left of my family."

Daryl nodded. "Well we won't do that."

"Why should I trust you?"

Daryl didn't know how to answer. After a moment he shrugged. "I guess you'll have to get to know us and decide for yourself." Judging from her strained expression, Daryl figured she didn't like the idea of socializing. "How long have you been here?"

"I dunno, I lost track," Lilly told him. "At least three months, maybe four or five now."

"By yourself?"

"Yeah... My family, my friends… they didn't last long."

"So how are you still here?" Daryl wondered aloud. Of all the people he'd met since this mess had started, this girl was the last person he thought could survive.

"They fought, I hid." Her reply was honest, but she couldn't help but lower her gaze to the ground as she said it. The confession brought her shame.

Before Daryl could interrogate her further, he heard Rick calling his name. "Daryl? Everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's safe. I'm up here!" Daryl answered. A moment later, Rick climbed up the ladder and paused at the sight of the stranger.

"Who's this?" he asked. His first instinct when he was up on his feet was to grab his gun from his belt, but seeing Daryl's crossbow on the ground made him change his mind. Lilly observed the newcomer nervously, and Rick took in her appearance as well.

"This is Lilly," Daryl said. "She's been up here for maybe four or five months, _alone_." He raised his eyebrows at Rick on that last word meaningfully. Rick got the message. This girl was lacking in the social department.

"Hi Lilly, I'm Rick." The once-policeman approached her with a hand outstretched, which she only looked at rather than shaking. He glanced at Daryl uncertainly.

Daryl explained. "Last group she met killed her people."

Eyes softening, Rick turned back to Lilly. "Listen, we aren't like that. We've got kids, good people. And as long as you don't try something on us, we won't have any problems. I promise."

Lilly thought for a moment. The two men seemed decent enough, but so had the last group. She wanted to send them away. She wanted to go back to her normal routine, alone. Being alone had worked best for her, after all.

But she felt the cold biting at her exposed face and hands. The light was just about gone from what she could tell by the covered window. How could she send anybody to fend for themselves on a winter night like this? Lilly was a solitary woman, but she didn't want people to be in more danger because of her.

"You can stay here," she finally told Rick.

He nodded. "We appreciate that. Thank you."

"There's food if you want," Lilly added, gesturing to the stack of cans nearby. "You can sleep anywhere but up here."

With an awkward pause, Rick exchanged a look with Daryl and went back down the ladder to tell the others. This left Daryl and Lilly to stand across from each other in a wary silence. Playing with the frayed sleeve of her sweater, Lilly cleared her throat again. "Um, as long as you aren't very loud, it should be pretty safe here." Daryl nodded, thinking to himself that he'd never imagined he'd meet some less socially capable than him. Finally, Lilly tilted her head to the ladder. "You should join them."

"You not going to meet the others?"

Lilly shook her head timidly and turned to the blanket she'd left in the corner, picking it up to wrap around herself again. Daryl took the hint and left without another word.

…..

"You're sure she's harmless?"

"She has no weapons. Too scared to try anything anyways."

The group had settled in the sitting room of the cabin and were enjoying the first fireplace they'd seen in ages. As Carol had been passing out their small dinner for the night, Lori was slumped on the couch and wary of the lonely soul in the attic.

"Something's off about this," Lori mumbled to herself.

"Something's off about the world," Hershel piped up. "I'm sure she's got some mental problems from all this."

"Who in their right mind would hide out here alone, surrounded by walkers?" T-Dog wondered aloud.

Hershel raised his eyebrows at him. "Exactly."

Carol looked up at the ceiling with a frown. "It doesn't feel right - knowing she's just up there by herself while we're all down here eating and getting warm."

"Should we bring her something?" Glenn suggested.

"I don't wanna freak her out."

"We're sure with safe with her around, right?" Maggie spoke up. "If she does have some… mental issues… she's not very stable."

Throughout all of this conversation, Daryl had been brooding in the corner, leaning against the wall. For the past hour he'd listened to the group talk in circles about Lilly - if she was dangerous, what her problem was. He'd gotten sick of it. "Maybe instead of yackin away about her, someone just goes and talks to the girl herself."

That shut the group up. There was a moment of uncomfortable glances, people silently daring others to do it. Daryl rolled his eyes at their pettiness. "Honestly, it's the end of the world and you're acting like a bunch o' schoolgirls." He turned to stomp up the stairs.

"Daryl," Carol stopped him. He turned and watched as she dished up another bowl of soup and handed it to him. "Would you give her this?" Daryl nodded and left.

When he reached the attic again, he breathed in the frigid air. It was too dark to see anything. Before he could fully get off the ladder and into the attic, Lilly's voice cut him off sharply.

"I said no coming up here."

"Relax," Daryl huffed. "My group just thought you might be hungry." He continued the rest of the way into the room and squinted in the darkness. "You got a light around?"

There was the sound of shifting blankets as Lilly reluctantly felt around her for the oil lamp. She touched the cold metal and fiddled with it for a minute. Daryl listened to the clicking as she tried to get it to light. When he heard her curse lightly under her breath, his mouth twitched. "Problem?"

"I haven't used this hardly at all," Lilly admitted quietly. "I can't get it to work."

"Here." Daryl fished in his back pocket for a lighter he always kept on him and flicked it on. The flame didn't do much, but it was enough to see the dark shape of the girl sitting on the floor. He knelt down next to her and felt for the lamp. After a second of tinkering, a small flame started growing. As it grew brighter, Lilly's pale face was slowly illuminated in the yellow glow. Satisfied, Daryl sat back.

He held the bowl out to her. "It's probably the same crap you've been eating for months, but I guess it's the group's way of saying hello or whatever."

Lilly took it with delicate hands and held it close. "Haven't had warm food in a while."

Daryl frowned at her as she took a mouthful. "What d'ya mean? It's not that hard to light a fire."

"I was nervous the dead people would realize I was here."

"You did nothing to get rid of 'em?"

Embarrassed, Lilly focused on her soup. When Daryl continued to watch her expectantly, she bit her lip. "I was… scared."

"Scared," Daryl deadpanned back. While he couldn't see that great in the dim light, he could swear he saw a light blush dust Lilly's cheeks. With a disbelieving shake of his head, he muttered "How are you still alive, girl?"

"I don't take risks," Lilly answered after swallowing soup. "I had a group - they fought, took chances, relied on 'if's' and 'maybe's'. Then they trusted people. More 'if's' and 'maybe's'. That's what got them killed." Daryl listened. This was the most she'd spoken on her own. "Me," Lilly continued, "I hid. Stopped trusting. And it's kept me alive much longer than anyone else I've met."

"'Cept us," Daryl intervened.

Lilly met his gaze. Her words were so quiet he almost didn't hear. "It won't last."

Daryl scoffed. "And you think you will? Sitting up here like some fairytale princess? You're gonna run out of food, supplies. You're gonna have to leave."

"At least this way I know what's gonna happen," Lilly retorted weakly.

"You need to wake up," Daryl told her. "Get used to 'if's' and 'maybe's' - they're all we got."

Lilly was quickly growing uncomfortable with the discussion. She was starting to regret letting Daryl come up. Setting down the now empty bowl, she changed the subject. "How long will your group be here?"

"We're leavin' in the morning. Gotta stay ahead of the herds." Lilly nodded silently. Daryl was torn between pity and annoyance at her cluelessness. "This place will be surrounded with walkers again in days. You know that right?" She didn't respond, merely picking at her tattered sweater sleeve. "Maybe you should come with us."

"No -" Lilly started quickly.

"They're more scared of you than you are of them." At Lilly's shocked expression, Daryl snorted. "Seriously, you're creepin' them out - sitting up here in the dark like a crazy person."

Lilly mulled this over in her mind. She knew her behavior wasn't normal, she knew she was a coward compared to other survivors. Most importantly, she knew Daryl was right. Lilly was going to have to face reality or die.

 _But would dying be so bad?_ she wondered. Death had always scared her, but with the end of the world it seemed that reality was only worse. Staying and letting herself starve out would be easiest. Going with a new group, forming relationships that could be lost at any moment, relying on others, sleeping with one eye open… that was hard.

"I think you are good people," Lilly spoke softly. "But… I can't join."

Daryl didn't like her answer, but he wasn't going to bully her about it. Her decisions were her own business. With a nod, he took the empty bowl from her and headed back to the ladder. "You have all night to think it over." He took a final glance back at her small frame, so delicate and unsure. It felt wrong to leave someone so innocent to fend for themselves.

"Hope you change your mind, princess."


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, the group woke and started packing to leave. Everyone kept glancing at the stairs, wondering if the attic girl would come down or not. Carol was the most concerned. She kept pacing as they got closer and closer to leaving, hands on her hips. "Shouldn't someone go talk to her?"

"Already did," Daryl quipped.

"Well maybe we should try again."

"We don't have time for that," Rick told her firmly. "It's up to her - she don't wanna come, we can't force her to. Either way, we have to keep moving."

"That herd will be here by tomorrow," Carol worried. "I don't know how I'll sleep, knowing she's just sitting here, surrounded and alone."

"Did it for five months," T-dog shrugged. "Guess that's just what works for her."

Despite Carol's stress, the group rolled up the last of the floor mats and headed out the door with a final glance at the stairs. Even Daryl, near the back of the group, couldn't help but look at the steps and frown a bit. Carol met his eyes pleadingly, but what could they do? So with an odd feeling in his chest, he nudged her shoulder and followed her out of the cabin.

Rick brought up the back, shutting the door behind him. The group headed back to the road that was only a few minutes away, where they'd get into their cars and leave Lilly behind. Just as Rick was putting the cabin out of sight, he heard the sound of a door slamming.

"Wait!"

While most of the group didn't hear and continued on to the road, Glenn, Carol, Daryl, and Rick all turned. They watched with disbelieving eyes as none other than Attic Girl rushed over the long grass towards them, duffle bag slung over her shoulder. Still wearing the clothes from before, but with boots on her feet, she looked even more fragile in the sunlight. Her skin was even more white a sickly, and from the way her eyes squinted she obviously wasn't used to be outside. As she got closer, she lowered her gaze to the ground a little.

Rick stepped forward. "Lilly."

Brushing some stray strands of hair from her face, Lilly shuffled her feet shyly. "I… um… I was wondering if I could come with you… I promise I'll contribute and I won't do anything to put you all in danger so…. if you'll have me…?" She held out her hand to Rick, as he had done the night before. With a small smile, the leader took her hand in his and shook it.

"That's alright with me."

As soon as he had spoken the words of acceptance, Carol rushed forward. "I'm sure you'll fit right in, Lilly. My name's Carol."

Lilly nodded at her awkwardly, not sure how to handle her eager greeting. Glenn stepped forward too and introduced himself.

"I'm Glenn. There's room in my car, you can ride with me and Maggie."

"Thanks."

"We can play getting-to-know-you at our next stop," Daryl announced loudly. "But right now we need to get moving."

Rick started towards the road with Carol and Glenn following behind. Lilly started to trail after, but as she passed Daryl he grabbed her bag from her. She gave him a questioning look, but he merely hoisted it over his shoulder and jerked his head towards the cars with a smirk. "Let's go, princess."

…..

It felt strange, leaving her home of five months. Lilly watched trees and bushes pass by in flashes of green and brown, still blinking at the amount of sunlight hitting her rusty eyes. She hadn't seen this much scenery in ages. It was a little overwhelming compared to the dull wood walls that she'd been staring at for months. Lilly expected a reanimated body to pop out from every corner, from behind every tree. But so far, she'd only see a small handful wandering around the side of the road, their moans lost to the sound of the car engine.

They drove past a particularly gruesome scene: a deer being chewed on by a couple of dead people. Stomach twisting unpleasantly, Lilly tore her eyes away from the sight and directed them at her hands, which were clasped together on her lap. They'd been driving for several hours now in silence, Maggie and Glenn having both sensed that she needed it.

Eventually, Maggie decided to speak up. "So, Lilly, right?"

"Yes," Lilly replied timidly. She cleared her throat - it wasn't used to talking. "And you're… Maggie?"

"Maggie Greene," the pretty farm girl smiled. "I'm glad you're here, it's nice to see a new face."

"What, my godly looks aren't enough for you?" Glenn teased. Maggie smacked his shoulder with a playful eye roll. "Ouch! Jeez, no need to be a bully."

"Smart-alec."

"You just hate me 'cause I'm beautiful."

Lilly's mouth twitched into a small smile, watching the couple banter back and forth. The was a warmth in the car, a sense of companionship that she hadn't experienced in a long time.

Rubbing his sore shoulder after being smacked furiously by his girlfriend, Glenn turned in his seat to look at Lilly. "So tell us about yourself, Lil."

Lilly shifted in her seat, having not expected his interest. Both Glenn and Maggie seemed like nice people, she wanted them to like her. She scrambled for something to say, but came up blank. "Umm… I… uh…" _I don't know how to talk to people,_ she thought dryly, but not voicing the thought because it was an awkward conversation starter.

She was saved by Maggie. "Favorite color?"

Lilly smiled at the simple ice-breaker. "Uh, yellow."

"Like, dog pee yellow or neon yellow?" Glenn asked, receiving a laugh from Maggie. Even Lilly had to breath out a small chuckle.

"I dunno. Um… pale yellow, the kind that looks kind of pastel."

"I'm more of a red kinda guy," Glenn responded. "Race car red."

"Lovely, Glenn," Maggie smiled sarcastically.

Taking the hint that she was trying to learn more about Lilly, Glenn asked another question. "Okay. So you like yellow. Favorite music?"

Lilly had to think hard on that one. "Well… I used to listen to Florence and the Machine all the time."

"Excellent choice. Favorite movie?"

"No clue. There's too many to choose from."

"First one that comes to mind," Maggie supplied helpfully.

Lilly shook her head. "It's like choosing between children!"

For the next two hours, the conversation continued this way. Glenn and Maggie would come up with the most basic questions to ask her, and she'd respond, growing more and more comfortable. She took an immediate liking to the couple. They were sweet and easygoing. Talking to them made Lilly forget that the world was in shambles. She had struggled at first, but Glenn and Maggie had helped her slip back into the art of conversation with ease.

After a very brief stop to refuel, during which Lilly opted not to even step out of the car, the conversation took a more serious turn. Lilly was frowning at the group's haste to be moving, with no apparent destination. "Where are we headed?"

The couple in the front hesitated to answer. After a sigh, Glenn answered. "Great question." His hands stiffened around the steering wheel.

Maggie took over. She looked back at Lilly. "Rick… He's convinced that we're going to find the perfect safe haven. It's all he thinks about. But he doesn't know where it is."

"He's just hoping we come across it eventually?" Lilly clarified with a furrowed brow.

"Basically," Maggie shrugged. Seeing Lilly's uncertainty, she added, "He's a good leader. He knows what he's doing. And we have to keep moving anyway so that the herds don't overrun us."

"I didn't know they came in 'herds'," Lilly said, head tilted slightly. There was so much about this new world that she didn't have a clue about.

Maggie cast her gaze downwards, biting her lip. "Neither did I."

She looked sad. Her kind face was shadowed with a sudden sense of hopelessness. Lilly wasn't sure what to make of it. "Are you… Did I say something?"

Blinking, Maggie quickly looked back up at her. "No, no. Not at all."

"We had a bit of a disaster a couple weeks ago," Glenn explained. His carefree demeanor had also seemed to melt slightly.

"What happened?" Lilly asked quietly. At seeing Maggie's eyes go shiny, she straigtened up. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean - you don't have to -"

"No, it's okay," Maggie told her bravely. "You're a part of the group now, you should know."

"We were staying at a farm for a while," Glenn started. "It was a really nice place. Safe. Maggie and her family have lived there for years and the rest of us found them by chance. It was a pretty sweet deal, but…"

"We should've known that it wouldn't last," Maggie sighed, hugging herself. "There was some drama…"

"A _lot_ of drama," Glenn piped up.

"... My daddy thought the walkers were just sick people, a guy named Shane was causing problems, Carol's daughter was missin' and she turned up as a walker, a guy showed up that was a possible threat... Mistakes were made, but we handled it the best we could." Maggie took a moment to collect her thoughts, swallowing. Lilly waited patiently. From the way her stomach was knotting up, she could tell that she wasn't going to like how this story ended. "Walkers showed up one night - more than I'd ever seen. Couldn't even begin to count them. One minute, the farm is safe, the next, there's walkers everywhere. Hundreds of them, and only a handful of us. My daddy wanted to defend the farm at first, but… it got to be too much. We were losin' people…" Maggie blinked back the tears welling in her eyes. "We had to leave."

"It's been tough," Glenn said. He laid a comforting hand on Maggie's shoulder. "But we're surviving."

"I'm so sorry," Lilly whispered.

Sniffing, Maggie forced a small smile. "Well we've all got a sob story nowadays. Thanks." After a moment of reflection on their losses, the farm girl decided to turn the conversation towards Lilly. She liked the newcomer so far. Lilly was quiet, but she seemed nice and genuine. Her eyes, however, were brimming with constant fear and uncertainty, rippling just under the surface. Maggie, along with the rest of the group, could not shake off the itching curiosity that had latched onto them all as soon as they'd heard of the Attic Girl.

"What about you, Lilly?" Maggie's voice was gentle and compassionate. She knew it was a tough question to answer. "What's your story?"

Lilly pulled her gaze to the car window, watching but not really seeing. She didn't know how to answer. Her story was simple: she hid while everyone around her died. Not a hard concept to understand, but the thought of it made her physically flinch in shame. She hadn't moved to harm a single reanimated body once. She had never fought, never hunted, never rushed into danger. She was nothing but a pathetic coward, a frail girl that should have been dead within a week of the apocalypse. There was nothing Lilly could offer. Nothing she could say to make the group want her around once they realized she was nothing more than a burden.

"Lilly?"

Glenn's voice shook her out of her thoughts and met his gaze in the rear-view mirror. Maggie had turned in her seat and was watching her patiently. "It's okay, you don't have to answer." Lilly was amazed by the sheer understanding and compassion she was receiving.

"Really?"

"Yeah," Glenn shrugged. "I mean - as long as you weren't a serial killer in the past, we can handle not knowing for a while."

Lilly cracked a sad smile and closed her eyes, resting her head against the headrest. "Trust me, being a serial killer would require a back bone."

…

"Lilly! Lilly, wake up!"

Lilly woke to the sound of a blood-curdling shriek and the sensation of being shaken. The shrieking stopped after a moment, and she blinked around with a gasp, trying to understand what was going on.

"Lilly, sweetheart, can you hear me? Look at me, Lilly." Maggie's face swam into her vision, pulled tight with concern. As sense slowly seeped back into the world, Lilly figured out that she was sitting in Glenn and Maggie's car, which was now stopped. Maggie had opened the door in the back and was clutching Lilly by the shoulders, crouched at her side. Once Lilly got past the strange look in Maggie's eyes, she noticed that Glenn was behind his girlfriend with a similar tense expression.

As she took this all in, Maggie gave her another shake. "Lilly, answer me. Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Lilly breathed with a numb tongue. "Yeah… what…"

"You started shaking and screaming," Maggie told her quietly, softening her hold on the girl with a sigh. "You must've been having a nightmare."

It clicked. That wretched shrieking had been _her_. Lilly frowned, finally noticing the rawness of her throat and the cold sweat that coated her skin.

A loud holler made her jump. "What's going on? Why'dya stop?" Daryl came stomping into view, pausing at Lilly's shaken appearance. With him entered Rick, Hershel, and Carol. They all stared blatantly at the scene, a combination of concern and frustration on their wary faces.

Lilly shrunk under their attention. Her pale skin flushed pink as she hastily tried to wipe the sweat off her face with a sleeve. She shook Maggie's hands off and kept her face down.

"Everything alright, Lilly?" Rick asked slowly.

Her voice caught, the humiliation and shame practically gagging her. It hadn't even been a whole day, and she was already causing the group problems. Seeing her mortification, Maggie spoke up for her. "She just had a nightmare or somethin'. I think she's okay."

"Understandable," Hershel acknowledged with a nod. "New surroundings, traumatic events, the perfect recipe for night terrors."

Lilly's voice was small and barely audible. "I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to hold us up or scare anyone."

"Nothing to be sorry for," Rick assured her, hands on his hips. He eyed the area around them carefully. "It's about time for us to set up camp anyway."

His words were like a magic trigger that set everyone into order. Immediately, people went back to their vehicles to unpack. Daryl hoisted his crossbow off his back and stepped into the role of the lookout, pacing the road and surrounding forest with keen eyes. Maggie gave Lilly a warm smile and helped her out of the car, allowing her to help pull tents out of the trunk.

As Lilly hoisted a large tent in her arms and looked around at the group bustle around to set up, she couldn't help but sigh hopefully. Other than the occasional odd look, it was like nothing had happened. Perhaps they would accept her - despite all her flaws. Perhaps they could be her new family.

A new start. That's what Lilly needed. And as she went about setting up, side by side with a group of very kind and strong survivors, she hoped that this was it.

…

The sun was beginning to go down, casting the group in a mess of shadows and faded orange light. They had parked their vehicles and moved into the trees for shelter. While tents were set up, Lilly was recruited to hang lines of cans around the perimeter of the camp. This would alert them of what Lilly had learned were called "walkers".

The evening air nipped at her fingertips as she finished tying off a cord around a tree. She double knotted it, than triple knotted it. Maybe the effort was unnecessary, but Lilly was terrified of messing something up. She was determined to prove herself worthy, even though she knew that she was about as useless as a nail file in this harsh new world.

It was strange to be outside, moving about, accompanied by the sounds of people chatting and working. Lilly wasn't sure how she felt about it. On one hand, it was nice to breath fresh air, to smell the rich foliage, to feel a delicate breeze whisper into her hair. On the other hand, Lilly felt too exposed. There wasn't a corner to stand watch at. A threat could come from anywhere, and if it did, there would be nowhere to hide. The fear of a walker coming up from behind and biting her arm off stood in the way of fully enjoying the outdoors.

When a branch snapped behind her, Lilly spun around with a choked yelp and had backed into a tree faster than one could say "Hello". She was expecting a mangled corpse meandering towards her, but what she saw was a wary looking Beth.

"Hey, sorry," the blonde apologized quickly, her slender hands held out to reassure Lilly. "Didn't mean to scare ya'."

Lilly blushed, taking a deep breath and stepping away from the tree trunk she had managed to flatten herself against. "Um… Beth, right?"

"Yeah." The pretty girl extended a hand to Lilly with an angelic smile. "Maggie's my sister, Herschel's my daddy."

Lilly tentatively took the offered hand and gave it a weak shake before pulling away. She worried at her lip, unsure of what to say. Beth merely smiled again, her doe eyes shining warmly. "I just wanted to check up on you, see how you were doing."

"Good," Lilly fiddled with the ends of her sleeves. "Yeah, good. Um, I just got the cans all tied up so… Um…" She mentally slapped herself. _What is wrong with me? Come on, Lil, just carry on a conversation. You've done it before_.

Beth, seeing the girl's awkward and failing attempt to converse, took it in stride. "Thanks for that, it's really helpful of you." Lilly nodded jerkily in response. Beth continued to watch her with her pale eyes, a perfect imitation of Herschel's all-knowing gaze. "But, what I meant was… how are _you_? This has got to be a lot to take in. Are you doing okay?"

Lilly's gaze was glued to her feet, shuffling the fallen leaves about and shifting her weight back and forth. She knew this was coming - it was only natural for the group to be concerned for her mental health. For all they knew, Lilly had spent months in isolation, stewing in a dusty attic. What they didn't know was how true that fact was, that that's really all Lilly had been up to, that literally nothing had happened besides that. They were all looking for some dark secret of hers, but the truth was, there was none. Lilly had hid in a cabin alone for five months, simple as that.

After clearing her throat, she answered. "I'm alright… I think. It's just overwhelming being around so many people… strangers. And I guess I'm pretty jumpy."

Beth nodded in understanding. As she observed Lilly's anxious eyes flicker around the forest, she frowned. "You really haven't seen much, have you?"

Lilly's watchful gaze returned to her shoes. She brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. "Well, I mean, I've seen some stuff. I've seen the… walkers… I saw my family get… you know." She wrung her hands and swallowed. Lilly wasn't blind, she'd seen people get eaten, shot, stabbed. She'd heard her loved ones' screams, cries, shouts to run. "But I guess I haven't seen it like you all have. You drive past a walker without even blinking. You've gotten used to it. Me on the other hand… I can't even think of a walker without wanting to throw up." As if to prove her point, Lilly's face paled slightly.

Beth shook her head in disbelief. She knew she wasn't terribly fit for the tough world as a survivor herself, but Lilly was a completely different element. With a sigh, the blonde reached out and squeezed Lilly's cold hands. "Come on, someone should have started making a fire by now." With a smile, the two girls headed back to the center of the camp.

Sure enough, Glenn had sparked the beginnings of a small flame. The tents had been set in a circle around the conservative fire pit. Everyone but Rick and Daryl were in eyesight. As Beth led Lilly into the circle, Lori gave her a wary glance and a tense nod. In another life, Lilly might have been offended at the woman's obvious distrust, but she couldn't seem to muster the energy for such feelings.

At the same time, Rick and Daryl entered the scene. The rustling of bushes caused Lilly to jump, and then blush when the two men emerged. As they trudged into the camp, she prayed that nobody noticed her silliness. Her eyes locked with Daryl's for a split second. She could have sworn she'd heard him snort in amusement.

Dinner was an assortment of some of the canned food Lilly had been keeping at her old cabin and chunks of squirrel that Daryl had hunted several days ago. Lilly ate in silence, preferring to observe the others rather than participate in conversation. The group couldn't help but cast curious glances her way. She could feel their desire to question her and get to know her practically burning her skin, but was grateful when they seemed to recognize that she needed time.

When it was time to sleep, Lilly was herded into a tent with Carol. The older woman fell asleep quickly, but Lilly was stiff on her back. She listened to Carol's breathing while her mind tried to process that this was her new life. Rocks poked at her back, the night air had grown icy. This was not her attic. This was the real world, where walkers could stumble upon them at any moment and they could wake to the screams of someone dying. Worse, they could be found by other survivors. They could be robbed, brutally murdered like her family had been. There was nowhere to hide.

Wincing every time the wind made the tree branches groan, every time Carol stirred, every time some unknown rodent rustled in the forest, Lilly found it impossible to sleep. Her eyes refused to stay closed, muscles twitching anxiously. She didn't know how long she laid there, staring at the tiny holes and stains that littered the tent's roof. As her legs continued to fidget restlessly, she knew that attempting to sleep was pointless.

Clutching a tattered wool blanket around her shoulders, Lilly crawled out of the tent and shivered. Moonlight snaked between the trees, illuminating the forest in eerie blue. The tents sat around her, their shadows reminding her of tombstones. Lilly swallowed. This wasn't making her feel better. She should have stayed in the tent.

Just as she was about to turn and duck back inside, a human silhouette caught her attention. For a moment, her heart leapt in her throat. A walker? How had it gotten past the tin can perimeter she'd set up? She must have missed a spot, or not tied them up well enough. And now it was going to feast on the group she'd just doomed.

Lilly stood, frozen in fear, scream of warning caught in her throat. That's when she realized that the figure didn't seem very undead. It was oddly still, almost statuesque. There was no way a walker could stand so still. Lilly's heart stuttered in relief. Moonlight illuminated the shape of broad shoulders, clad in a leather jacket. In the darkness, she could faintly make out angel wings. Daryl.

With a sigh, Lilly shrugged her blanket closer around herself and picked her way through the camp. He was standing guard near the edge, so still it was almost unsettling. As she drew nearer, Lilly bit her lip. She didn't want to accidently surprise him and end up with an arrow in her head. She stood just behind him, fidgeting a little and preparing to clear her throat.

"You just gonna creep around behind me or what?" The hunter's awareness was better than she'd anticipated.

Ducking her head in embarrassment, Lilly came to stand next to him. He never looked her way once, eyes ever watchful of the forest surrounding them. His crossbow was grasped firmly in his large hands. It calmed Lilly somewhat, to see that someone like Daryl was standing guard over her and the group. Nothing bad would happen under his watch.

"Yer awful fidgety, ya know." Daryl's voice was gruff and distant, like he didn't really care much about what he was saying. Lilly supposed it was his way of accepting her presence.

"Couldn't sleep."

The hunter didn't reply. He merely continued his lookout in silence. It wasn't uncomfortable like it was with the others. Daryl wasn't itching with curiosity. He wasn't holding back from asking numerous questions. Lilly felt no obligation to give him answers. The pair was conscious of each other, and that's as far as any interaction went.

They stood like that for a couple of hours. Lilly found that watching the forest for threats brought a mix of relief and fear. She was glad that she could see that there were no walkers around, but she hated peering through the shadow, constantly wondering if a monster would appear when she blinked.

Daryl didn't mind the tiny girl's quiet presence next to him. He was just happy that she wasn't trying to start a conversation. That was the one thing he hated about being on watch - people that couldn't sleep always had to have chats. They were always trying to create some deep, sappy talk as if they were in a romance novel. Lilly didn't want any chick flick moments. She seemed satisfied with standing near him and his crossbow. Daryl appreciated her silence.

His eyes flickered about, occasionally finding their way to where Lilly stood at his side. Her pale skin practically glowed in the dark, tangled hair hanging limply about her face. Her shoulders were hunched up tight while her awkward hands clutched at the ragged blanket draped her fragile figure. She looked ghostly. Haunted.

 _She won't last_ , Daryl thought to himself bluntly. She was malnourished, lacking in muscle, and it was plain to see in her ever fearful eyes that she had didn't have the mental strength to survive. Sooner or later, this world would crush her. Perhaps she'd get bitten. Perhaps she'd go mad from the stress of sleeping with one eye open. Perhaps the death and despair that hung around their minds would drive her to suicide. One way or another, Lilly was not going to make it.

He kept his feelings walled in shut, never to be seen, but even Daryl could not deny that the thought of Lilly falling victim to the world was saddening. She was too naive, too innocent. Pure, even. The idea was almost as sickening to him as the image of Sophia stumbling out of that barn, bitten, broken, destroyed.

Daryl shut his eyes and mentally shook away his dark thoughts. When he reopened them, he could see Lilly watching him. She didn't say anything, didn't ask if he was alright. Her wide eyes merely observed for a moment and then turned away respectfully. _Good_.

They pair stood in companionable silence until Glenn came to take watch. Daryl turned and headed straight for his tent. He hesitated for a split second, checking to see that Lilly had slipped back into her own tent with Carol, before ducking into his and falling asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Screaming. Raw, unrestrained, blood-curdling. Heart exploding, throat constricting, hysterical shaking. Fear, in it's most tangible form.

"Lilly! Wake up!"

Lilly shot up with a harsh gasp, clawing at a pair of hands.

"Shh, it's alright, it's just me."

Carol. The woman's sweet face was tense, her hands rubbing Lilly's shoulders and stroking her hair. The crisp morning air brought Lilly back to reality. She was in a tent, in a forest, with a group. Why? Because she would have starved otherwise. Because walkers were roaming the planet. Because the end of the world had come.

The end of the world. People had died. Her family had died. Life was a fight. She couldn't hide anymore, she couldn't huddle up in a corner and wish away the nightmare.

Her attic was gone.

At that thought, a dry sob heaved its way into Lilly's lungs. It was funny how a simple room had come to mean so much to her. Lilly longed for the security and safety and sameness it had provided. She was scared. She was so scared.

"Hush, now, it's alright. You're safe, sweetie." Carol had enveloped her in her arms and was rubbing her back, trying to calm the fragile girl. Lilly let her, squeezing her eyes shut before any tears could form and biting her lip to keep from crying. She relished in the warmth. When was the last time someone had held her?

Footsteps came stomping near and Rick had unzipped the tent and ducked into it almost violently. "Carol? Everything alright?"

"Just a nightmare," Carol replied quietly.

Lilly heard Rick sigh, peeking her eyes open just enough to see the frustration on his features. It was only there for a second, just long enough for Lilly to know that her behavior was stressing people out. Guilt and shame settled in her stomach like concrete.

She pulled away from Carol, smoothing her hair back and taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Rick. I didn't mean to -"

"Don't be sorry, Lilly. Happens to the best of us," the leader assured her quickly. Before Lilly could try to apologize again, he'd exited the tent.

"Want to talk about it?" Carol asked her gently.

Lilly untangled her legs from her blanket and shook her head. "Nothing to talk about. But thanks."

After a moment of hesitation, the older woman nodded and went about gathering her things from the tent. Lilly followed suit. There truly was nothing to talk about. She couldn't remember a thing. All Lilly knew was that she'd stayed up with Daryl and then gone to sleep.

"Bad dreams?" Herschel asked as Lilly stepped out of the tent, a bundle of blankets in her arms.

"I guess so."

Herschel smiled sympathetically. "We'll have to look around for something to help you sleep better at the next town we pass through."

He patted her shoulder and Lilly forced a small smile. "Okay."

The group had packed away their small camp within fifteen minutes and were on the road again. Once again, Lilly was in the back of Glenn and Maggie's car. She rested her head against the cool glass. The sun was coming up, a light frost sparkling on the trees. The sky was grey and gloomy, dangling the threat of snow over their heads.

An engine rumbled loudly. Lilly watched as Daryl zipped past them on his motorcycle, brows furrowing slightly. "Isn't he cold?"

"If he is, he's too stuck up to say so," Glenn shrugged with a lopsided grin. Lilly continued to frown. In response to her silence, Glenn glanced back. "Don't worry about him, Lil. He can take care of himself."

The group continued to weave down the road. There was some small talk between Glenn, Maggie, and Lilly, but overall the ride was pensive. Everyone was either too wrapped up in their own thoughts and worries, or too tired.

They took a break some time in the afternoon. Lilly stepped out of the car, eager to stretch her legs. Her stomach growled loudly.

Glenn heard and chuckled at the noise. "My thoughts exactly. I'm starving."

"Get in line," T-Dog huffed. "The things I'd do for a cheeseburger…"

Daryl walked by, chucking a limp squirrel at him. "Yeah well all we got is squirrel. Get skinning."

T-Dog and Glenn continued to banter back and forth while Daryl gripped his crossbow and continued off the road. Lilly observed the dry red skin on his knuckles. The weather was certainly unkind to him and his motorcycle. Lilly couldn't imagine that it didn't hurt to grip the metal handlebars while icy wind bit at his fingers.

"Yo, Lilly," T-Dog called. "Enjoying the view?"

Lilly realized she'd been staring at Daryl's retreating back and blushed deeply. She whirled around and hurried over to where T-Dog was sat on the hood of a car, cutting into the dead squirrel Daryl had hurled at him. He laughed when he saw the pink dusting across her cheeks. "You're an awkward little thing, aren't you?"

 _Well how am I supposed to respond to that?_ "Thanks?" Lilly blinked, blushing even more.

"Not in a bad way," T-Dog added quickly. "Just… there's something off about you."

"Yeah well, I guess five months in isolation will do that," Lilly shrugged. "Wall's don't talk much."

T-Dog laughed heartily, shaking his head with a wide smile. "I knew there was a real girl somewhere in there. I like you. Give it a few days, you'll fit in in no time."

Lilly smiled. She wasn't so sure about the fitting in, but she appreciated T-Dog's efforts to help her relax anyway. Her eyes drifted down to the mass of fur in his hands, quickly becoming bloody. T-Dog had cut it open with a pocket knife and his fingers worked to grab a flap of skin. The squirrel's eyes were black and unseeing. It was unnerving. Lilly felt her face start to pale.

T-Dog noticed and gave her a sad smile. "You're gonna have to get used to this real quick. Dead squirrel's nothing."

"I will," Lilly lied stiffly. As something spurted some blood across T-Dog's fingers, she felt her stomach roll. _I'll get used to it later_. Lilly turned away and wandered around the other cars, watching Rick look over a map with some of the group members. It didn't take long for her to find somewhere she could help out, assisting Carol in building a small fire.

Daryl came back twenty minutes later with a dead rabbit. The group nibbled on some of the squirrel T-Dog had skinned, put out the fire, and were back on the road within the hour.

That evening, Rick called everyone to a stop and they unpack the tents again. They were all disappointed that they'd have to sleep outside once more, but the few cabins they'd passed earlier had been unsecure. It was best to stay in their tight knit camp rather than risk being found by raiders. Besides, sleeping on the ground in tents was better than inside the cars on lumpy seats. Once it snowed, they'd be forced inside the vehicles, but for now, they preferred their tents.

Lilly was again recruited to tie lines of cans around the perimeter. While she still triple knotted each cord ending, she did so with a little more confidence. It was an easy job that she was perfectly capable of. The sounds of the others bustling about to get their tents set up was still strange to hear, but Lilly found that she had missed it. It was comforting to know that they were around to support and watch over each other.

Lilly still missed her attic, but she was glad she'd chosen to come with Rick and his group. For the first time in months, she didn't feel the complete sense of doom eating away at her heart. Maybe she could make it. Maybe humanity could make it. Maybe one day, this would all be nothing but a bad memory.

Mood boosted significantly, the girl couldn't help but hum to herself. It had been something she'd done in her attic - quietly, of course, so that the walkers wouldn't hear. Before the apocalypse, Lilly had loved to sing. It had been a hobby she'd used to relieve stress. Alone in her apartment or driving in her car, Lilly would sing at the top of her lungs. She rarely did it in public. It had been her own little secret - nobody had heard Lilly sing but Lilly.

The sweet sound of Lilly's humming was interrupted by a hollow moan. Lilly froze, gripping the cord in her hands like a lifeline. A second moan sounded, louder this time. All sense of calm shattered in her mind. Slowly, she turned.

A walker was meandering towards her, vaguely resembling the tattered remains of an old man. A blood stained plaid shirt hung off a bony set of shoulders, ribs poking out in some places. His eyes were pale and glazed over, soulless. They rested over a crooked and rotting nose and a gaping mouth, the latter being decorated by a scraggly, tangled white beard. Each time he opened and shut his dry lips, bits of gore and grime dangled off his chin and the wiry strands of facial hair. One leg seemed to be twisted up, but that didn't stop the walker from hobbling closer.

Lilly opened her mouth to scream, to shout a warning or cry for help, but the sound caught in her throat. She couldn't do much more than gape with wide eyes, clutching the cord in her hands. Her limbs had gone completely numb. She stood like a deer caught in headlights, unmoving, frozen in terror.

It wasn't until the smell of rotting flesh reached her nose that Lilly was able to move. At this point, the walker was close enough to grab her. Its bony hands reached forward, twitching. Lilly managed to force herself to stumble backwards. Her heel caught on a twig and her back met a tree trunk. Before she could steady herself, the walker had launched itself at her.

Its spidery fingers clamped tightly around her arm as it descended, its weight forcing her to complete her backwards fall. Lilly landed on her back with a gasp. The walker was literally on top of her, its mouth making a beeline for her throat. In that moment, all Lilly could process was the sensation of a rock sticking into her back uncomfortably. Reflecting on that singular detail could have been the end of her. Fortunately, the horrid smell of death snapped her back into the conflict at hand.

Her hands made contact with the monster's face, one finger barely avoiding getting caught between its teeth. Lilly finally managed to let out a cry, but it was muffled and quiet. Off-color liquid of some sort was dripping onto her face. The walker's jaw clamped open and shut inches above her eyes, granting her full view of its rotten teeth and shriveled tongue. Its decaying beard tickled her nose. She felt its glassy eyeballs under her hands.

Was this how her sister had felt? Rachel was the first one to die in front of Lilly. She had gone down in a similar way, sprawled on the ground as a trio of walkers descended upon her like vultures. Rachel had managed to hold one's face away from her, like Lilly was doing now, but the other two had bit into her arms. Rachel's initial scream of pain had been over in seconds after a bite to the throat. Lilly hoped that her sister had gone unconscious quickly after that. She shuddered to think that her sister's last memories had been insignificant details like the way a walker's skin was falling off.

 _I don't want to die this way_ , Lilly internally screamed. This was a terrible way to go, taken down by a dead old man, wondering what grotesque goo was tangled in his beard, feeling cold bodily fluids wet her face and drip into her hair. She couldn't bear to think about the pain that would come should the walker manage to sink its jagged teeth into her skin.

But Lilly was weak, she could only hold him off for so long. Her arms shook with the effort, muscles aching. Perspiration was forming on her skin. The rock that still poked into her back was only growing more uncomfortable. The walker's fingers dug into her shoulder, hard enough that she feared they would tear into her skin. His mouth inched ever closer, only centimeters away now. His rotting nose brushed against her forehead. This was it. Lilly Clearwater was about to die.

The walker went limp. Lilly let out a yelp as its head lolled across her shoulder. No teeth clamped around her skin, no pain came. The girl laid there in shock, gasping. With the walker's head away from her face, she could see the grey sky between the tree branches. Lilly blinked at the sight. How?

A moment later, the view of the sky was blocked by a pair of blue eyes. Lilly felt the weight of the walker's dead body get lifted off of her. A pair of warm hands gripped her shoulders and hoisted her into a sitting position.

"You bit?"

Daryl's face was hard as stone, has jaw tight. Lilly's mouth opened and closed like a fish struggling to breath. She searched his face with wonder. She wasn't dead, and it was because of Daryl Dixon.

The hunter in question shook her roughly, his voice harsh and abrasive. "I said are ya' bit? Answer me!"

Lilly opened her mouth to answer, but didn't have time to get a word out. Daryl had already yanked her to her feet and was running his hands down her arms, checking her over himself. His eyes raked over her body quickly as he turned her this way and that. He even went as far as to pull the collar of her sweater aside to see that her shoulders weren't bitten.

Lilly glanced down at herself, stomach rolling when she saw several questionable stains on her clothes. It wasn't just blood. It was yellow and brown, slimy and oozing. There was no telling what it was. Lilly's eyes slid to the still walker at her feet, taking in the gaping wounds, blood, and pus that covered its emaciated body.

Something dripped off of her forehead, probably having leaked from the walker's rotten mouth. The smell made her head spin.

That was the final straw.

"Daryl…" Lilly managed to mumble before her stomach lurched. She yanked herself out of Daryl's grip and turned away before doubling over against a tree. With a gag, the girl let out the contents of her stomach. Bits of the squirrel she'd eaten earlier that day spilled onto the grass in front of her. This didn't help her nausea one bit. The sensation of throwing up only caused Lilly to throw up more.

Daryl watched her back heave, listened to the sound of her retching her guts out. It was unpleasant, but he preferred it to hearing her crying in pain. That would have meant she'd been bit, that he was going to have to put an arrow through her pretty little head. Daryl still believed that Lilly would die soon, but he was relieved that he wouldn't have to deal with it today.

By now, the commotion had caught the attention of the rest of the group. Everyone came rushing over, sighing at the sight of the walker on the ground.

"Everyone okay?" Glenn asked.

Daryl snorted and bent over to yank his arrow out of the walker's head. "Just peachy."

Lilly had finally finished puking and managed to straighten up, leaning against a tree for support. She was pale and looked seconds away from tipping over. Maggie put an arm around her shoulder and ushered her back to the camp, muttering something about getting clean clothes. The others watched them go in silence.

While Glenn picked up the line of tin cans that Lilly had been working on and finished tying them up, Rick locked eyes with Daryl. The ex-cop's gaze was solemn. "Couldn't fight it off?"

"Couldn't even call for help," Daryl answered lowly. "Only knew somethin' was off because I heard her drop the cans."

Rick rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh. "She's not gonna make it, is she?"

Daryl couldn't help but let out a chuckle that was anything but amused. "Not at this rate."

The group went back to what they'd been doing before the walker had shown up. Daryl patrolled the area, keeping watch for any other walkers. There was usually more than one of them. Sure enough, a pair of walkers came staggering over just ten minutes later. Daryl raised his crossbow and nailed them both in the brain with ease. The two walkers dropped.

As he retrieved his arrows from the corpse's skulls, the hunter caught sight of Lilly. She was standing near the edge of camp, now dressed in a blue sweatshirt and black yoga pants, hugging herself tightly as if her arms were the only thing keeping her together. Her large eyes, though sunken into her pale skin, shone like emeralds. For a moment, Daryl thought that she was staring at him, but then he realized her gaze was directed just past him and at the pair of dead bodies he'd just stepped over.

She teetered precariously on her feet. Daryl could practically feel the tremors coursing down her spine. They locked eyes for a moment, and he was struck with the intense helplessness emanating from her. For what was not the first time, Daryl found himself wondering how she was even alive.

Lilly's gaze turned back to the two walkers as Daryl drew closer. He had intended to brush by and move on with the evening, but something stopped him as he reached Lilly's side. He peered down at her - she barely reached his shoulder - and couldn't help but notice the way she bit her lip. Lilly didn't even seem conscious of the fact he was watching her. She was far gone, lost in her own thoughts.

Daryl had the uncharacteristic urge to say something comforting, maybe pat her shoulder and offer an encouraging nod like everyone else. But what was there to say? He had no comfort to give. The cold hard truth was that Lilly was not a survivor and that next time she had a close call like that, Daryl might not be there to save her.

"You need to get a back bone." The words tumbled out of his mouth before his mind could even conceive them.

Lilly's eyes snapped up to his guiltily. She said nothing to defend her dignity or scold him for his bluntness. If anything, she seemed to agree with his statement. "I know."

"You didn't even do anything to stop that walker," Daryl found himself continuing. "You might as well have rolled out the red carpet for it, the way you laid down to die."

"I tried to -"

" _Tried_ ain't good enough, princess," Daryl snapped. He wasn't sure where the bitter venom in his voice was coming from. Anger had seemed to appear out of nowhere. "Your family? You don't think they _tried_ to live? You don't think they _tried_ to survive so that you wouldn't have to get your hands dirty yourself? I bet they tried hard, and look where they are now."

Lilly gaped up at him with doe eyes, visibly flinching at his words. Daryl didn't know why he was saying this, what had motivated him to cause more hurt.

Daryl's mouth had suddenly become a machine gun, and the bullets just kept firing. "Listen, girly, I give ya about a week before you're nothin' but a cold, dead body. You're just a bag o' walker food that breathes. That's all you have to look forward to: getting eaten. Ya hear?"

Lilly swallowed, and Daryl found his eyes suddenly traveling back down to observe the way she bit her lip again. The girl took in a breath, and he thought that he'd finally said too much.

"You're right. Thank you for saving me. I would have been dead without you."

The reply was more infuriating than any sort of insult she could have tossed at him. Why wouldn't she defend herself? Why was she just letting him walk all over her? It was all Daryl could do to keep from shouting.

"Did you not hear anything I just said?" he spat, bending down so that he could get in her face. Lilly flinched away. "I didn't save crap. You're already dead. It's just a matter of when your prissy li'l heart stops beating."

His blue eyes met her green ones. He watched as they shimmered, threatening tears, only for her to blink them back and look at her shoes. It was disgusting to him, the way she just submitted to his harsh words. So what if they were true? Nobody should let someone talk to them that way. With a huff, Daryl pushed passed her and headed for the campfire being built.

He spent the rest of the evening skinning the rabbit he'd killed earlier that day. Bloody as the task was, it was soothing to concentrate on it and _not_ on the porcelain doll of a girl that had retreated into a tent several yards away.

It was Sophia all over again. No matter how many times he denied it to himself, Daryl had felt hope for that little girl. Optimism had clouded his mind and tricked him into believing that miracles were possible - that a little child could survive on their own against walkers and the elements combined. For once in his life, Daryl had chosen to have faith and believe that good things would happen if he just believed.

Then Sophia had turned up as a walker. Dale had died. Shane had wreaked havoc. The farm had been lost. Rick had revealed that everyone was infected. One bad thing had happened after another, it was only natural that Lilly's death was next.

He couldn't get her eyes out of his head. Wide, bright, they reminded him of how a deer looked right before he shot it. A lamb ready for slaughter. It shouldn't have bothered him so much, but she was just so _innocent_. Daryl, the gruff, rough-around-the-edges, thick-skinned 'redneck', could not get over the purity that radiated from her. She was not meant for this world. She was too good for it. It wasn't fair that someone so… dare he say it… _angelic_ was forced to live among the blood and death and cruelty that reigned here.

 _Ugh_ , Daryl cringed at the direction his thoughts had taken. He was a Dixon, for crying out loud. Thoughts of purity and innocence and angels were not meant for him.

Perhaps Lilly should have stayed in that attic. Perhaps it would have been better for her to starve and die on her own terms, rather than face what was sure to be a gruesome end. Heaven knows it would have saved Daryl from the strange thoughts that were worming their way into his mind.


	4. Chapter 4

**Warning: Little bit of a dark theme in this chapter.**

 **Also, just wanted to thank those who have started following this story and for the encouraging reviews. You've made my day!**

 _Off-color liquid of some sort was dripping onto her face. The walker's jaw clamped open and shut inches above her eyes, granting her full view of its rotten teeth and shriveled tongue. Its decaying beard tickled her nose. She felt its glassy eyeballs under her hands…_

Lilly took a deep breath and rubbed at her eyes. She was once again sitting in the back of Glenn and Maggie's car, and it was all she could do to keep from falling asleep.

It had been a rough night, full of tossing and turning, trying to avoid thinking about the walker attack. After the little wake up call from Daryl, she had retreated to Carol's tent and stayed there for the rest of the night.

Maybe Daryl's words had been unkind, but they were true. Lilly knew that. She wasn't built for this, and if she didn't change, she was going to die. There was no need to sugarcoat the fact. Lilly was very much aware that she was weak and pathetic, that she needed to toughen up. But that didn't keep her from being scared.

She wanted her attic back. She was tired of jumping at every sound, constantly wondering if another walker was going to get the best of her.

The group had agreed that they'd stop in the next town for supplies. Winter was making itself known, and that called for warmer clothes and better gear. It only took half a day to reach an eerie street lined with abandoned stores. As the cars all came to a stop, Lilly frowned at the eroding buildings. She hadn't seen what remained of society before - she'd been holed up in her cabin while everyone had been ransacking homes and stores for supplies. This was the first time she'd seen what was becoming of the world.

It was bothersome to see what must have been a busy shopping area reduced to an empty ghost town. Windows were shattered, doors hung askew, powerlines swung uselessly, the sidewalks were cracked. The place looked like it hadn't been touched in ages.

Lilly shivered as she stepped out of the car. A sly, cold wind was snaking through - the kind that managed to wiggle its way under jackets and freeze your bones. Lilly's hair brushed her face. She swatted at it in annoyance, sighing when her efforts to keep it back were fruitless. Running a hand through her tangled locks, Lilly knew she needed to give them a good brushing and find some hair ties. Once, her hair had been her pride, tumbling in silky chocolate waves to her waist. Now it was dry, messy, and turning into an animalistic mane with a mind of its own.

"Alright everyone, listen up," Rick called. The group gathered around, shivering in their jackets and sweaters. "We're splittin' into four groups - someone needs to stay by the cars with Lori. I want the rest of the groups to look through every building within two blocks of here. Anything you think we can use, grab it. Blankets, clothes, medicine, weapons, you know the drill."

Maggie herded Lilly into a group with her, T-Dog, and - to Lilly's dismay - Daryl. The hunter didn't acknowledge her presence once, probably annoyed that she was there. With a huff, he hoisted his crossbow into his hands and led the small group to their first stop - a camping store.

Lilly stayed tight behind Maggie, who was poised to attack with a knife in hand. T-Dog was behind them, also armed. They allowed Daryl to kick the door open first, crossbow aimed. Lilly fumbled with the sleeves of her hoodie, her insides twisting and turning anxiously. She was _not_ ready to see another walker.

Fortunately for her, the area was clear. At Daryl's nod, Maggie and T-Dog entered with Lilly between them, glancing around to see for themselves before relaxing and lowering their weapons.

"C'mon," Maggie nodded to Lilly, handing her an empty duffel bag. Lilly took it and followed the farmgirl deeper into the store. There wasn't much - the place had pretty much been picked clean. Maggie picked up a broken walking stick and scoffed before tossing it aside. "Useless."

Lilly's eyes scanned the messy isles, heart sinking. Too many had come before them and taken all the goods, it seemed. A bright orange container caught her eye. It was partially under one of the shelves. Lilly knelt down and pulled the container out: Gasoline. With a hopeful smile, the girl peered under the shelf and found three more containers that had been slid into hiding.

T-Dog passed by and saw Lilly's findings. He smiled. "Jackpot."

Lilly grinned back, happy to have found something helpful.

The containers were heavy, but Lilly managed to carry two of them in her bag while T-Dog helped with the other two. They continued to pick through the store. Daryl gave Lilly a questioning glance. When she showed him the gasoline label, he merely nodded and went back to scanning the shelves.

 _Good job,_ the hunter thought, though he'd never say it out loud. After finding a quiver of arrows and double checking the store, Daryl decided it was time to move on to the next building.

For the next hour, they went through stores. Most were even more disappointing than the first one had been. Fortunately, there hadn't been any walkers so far.

At one point, Lilly passed by a dead body sprawled in the middle of an isle. She paled considerably and swallowed. It was a man, his age undecipherable due to the blood that splattered across his skin. He was lying in a puddle of crimson. Lilly wanted to look away, but it was like watching a train wreck. The scene was morbidly mesmerizing.

T-Dog's footsteps behind her caused her to jump. Without batting an eye, the man stepped passed her and nudged the body with his foot, ready to stab it should it reanimate. Nothing happened. That's when they both noticed the gaping hole in the back of the dead man's head.

"Shot to death," T-Dog muttered. Lilly grimaced at the thought. She watched T-Dog step over the body and continue on, struck by the ease with which he did it. Like it was nothing to him. How had the world come to this? How was it possible for someone to be so submerged in violence and death that a man's lifeless body couldn't even make them flinch?

With a shudder, Lilly forced herself to look away and continued on to the next isle.

Twenty minutes later, the group was sifting through a clothing store. Again, there wasn't much. Maggie and Lilly managed to gather an armful of socks and scarves, but the only jackets in sight were made for toddlers. Lilly was thrilled to find a pack of hair ties, and she also discovered a thick grey poncho. She shrugged it on immediately, smiling at its warmth.

The dressing rooms were in the back of the store, and Lilly had grown comfortable enough to venture back there without Maggie or T-Dog. She picked through a pile of clothes that had been left on the floor, wrinkling her nose at a pair of lacy fuchsia underwear. _No thank you_.

Something banged on one of the dressing room doors and Lilly yelped. She backed away from the pile of clothes, clutching her heavy duffel bag. Daryl seemed to appear out of nowhere, stepping in front of her with his crossbow aimed and ready to shoot. Lilly watched his back, finding the angel wings rather appropriate, seeing as he had swooped in to the rescue once again.

The banging continued on the door, accompanied by the raspy sounds of the undead. The dressing room door had been locked.

Daryl glanced back at Lilly before approaching the door. She shifted nervously on her feet, torn between her desire to look away and her need to prove she was tough enough to handle it. With a sigh, Daryl held his crossbow ready and unlocked the door. He swung it open.

No walker came bursting through. Surprised at the lack of attack, Daryl peered into the dressing room and immediately wished he hadn't.

"Lilly, don't look," he ordered, stepping in front of the doorway so that she couldn't see what was inside.

"What?" Lilly frowned. Since when did he care if she saw something nasty?

"I said don't look," Daryl barked. The urgency in his eyes caused her to obey.

With a nod, Lilly slung her duffel bag over her shoulder and went back to the front of the store. Maggie frowned at the commotion, and after making sure T-Dog was with Lilly, she approached Daryl by the dressing rooms.

"What is it, Daryl?"

The hunter's jaw was set tightly, his shoulders tense. Grimacing, he stepped aside for Maggie to see. As soon as she looked, her jaw dropped and her hands flew to her mouth.

The walker was a girl, possibly in her early twenties, and tied by the wrists to a clothes hanger. She was practically naked, any remains of clothes having been cut and shredded or torn off. She had died recently - no rotting had taken place yet. Judging from the way her ribs stuck out and her hip bones protruded sharply from her sides, she had starved to death. That wasn't the worst part. Bruises marred the girl's grey skin, blackening her neck, face, arms, legs, and waist. There were several precise cuts along her cheeks and thighs, dried blood leaking from them. Her blonde hair was patchy and tangled, like it had been pulled and torn at.

"This wasn't done by no walker," Daryl mumbled quietly. His stomach tightened and he swallowed back the bile rising in his throat. Walkers, he could handle. Killing, he could handle. But this was just sick. It was clear that whatever monster had done this had made that girl suffer for a long time.

"We should tell Rick," Maggie said, her voice quivering. "The people that did this could still be nearby."

Daryl nodded in agreement, still taking in the broken and bruised victim before them. The girl's glazed eyes watched them, her mouth snapping and hissing, hungry and empty of emotion. Daryl felt pity for the creature, who had been through Hell in her last moments of humanity. With a silent apology, he aimed his crossbow and ended its misery.

Maggie went back to Lilly and T-Dog, ushering them out of the store in search of Rick. Daryl hesitated to retrieve his arrow from the walker's skull. It was even more disturbing to see the girl's body limp and unmoving. Her stillness made her more human, and made the terrible things that had happened to her more real. With a sigh, Daryl yanked the arrow out of her head, closed the dressing room door, and walked away before the disgust could overwhelm him.

He wasn't sure why he was so adamant on Lilly not seeing it. After all, hadn't it been him telling her to get a back bone? To toughen up? Had the walker in that dressing room been anything different, he probably would have made her look at it. But exposing someone as naive as Lilly to something so horrific was too cruel, even for Daryl's standards.

Outside, Maggie had found Rick across the street and rushed over to him, Lilly and T-Dog following slowly behind. Lilly glanced back at the store worriedly to see Daryl leaving, his posture stiff and his eyes hard. What had been in that dressing room?

"Something the matter?" Rick asked. He placed his hands on his hips when he saw Maggie's expression, unconsciously switching into "cop mode".

Maggie brushed some hair out of her face and opened her mouth to explain, but no words came out. Daryl had reached close enough to hear, and with a look from Maggie, he inclined his head to the store. "There's somethin' you should see."

With a frown, Rick nodded and followed the hunter back into the store. The rest of the group had noticed something strange was going on by now and watched with concern. Lilly glanced back at Maggie. The farm girl was on edge, glancing up and down the street and gripping her bag harder than was necessary.

"Maggie, what is it?" Lilly asked quietly. Maggie hesitated to answer.

"What'd you see?" T-Dog prodded.

Carol, Glenn, and Beth had all joined the circle at this point. Glenn put a comforting arm around Maggie's shoulders. "You okay?"

Maggie closed her eyes for a moment and then urged Glenn away from the group. Lilly watched the couple walk a few feet away. Maggie started talking. Lilly wished that she could read the farm girl's lips, or get close enough to eavesdrop, but she hoped that if it was important enough she'd know soon anyway. Her brows furrowed as she watched Glenn tense up, the same way Daryl had, and march towards the store with purposeful steps, Maggie reluctantly following him.

"Should we be worried?" Beth voiced the question everyone was thinking. But nobody had an answer.

"If there's something to be worried about, they'll let us know," Carol finally said. "For now, let's get our stuff back to the cars."

The group carried their findings to their vehicles. Just as they finished closing the final trunk, Rick came back out with Daryl, Glenn, and Maggie. All four had grim expressions on their face.

"Is everyone here?" Rick asked. The group gathered around him and his eyes scanned for any missing members. Satisfied that everyone was present, he continued. "We have reason to believe that there's another group nearby, and that they aren't friendly. Let's get back in our vehicles and get outta here."

"What did -" Lori started to say, but Rick cut her off.

"Someone was killed recently… and… tortured." He hesitated to say anymore. "We'll leave it at that."

Questions were still buzzing, but he had said enough. Everyone headed for their usual vehicles, though Lilly hesitated. She weaved through the small crowd to catch up to Daryl, who was already about to get on his motorcycle.

"Daryl!"

The hunter stopped and turned to face her. His blue eyes dug into hers, hard and icy. "What d'ya want?"

Lilly fiddled with the end of her new poncho. "I just… I wanted to know - why didn't you let me see what was in there?"

Daryl considered answering honestly - maybe wording it to sound meaner. Something along the lines of ''cause you're a sissy'. But the image of the ravished, dead girl wouldn't leave his head. The thought of someone doing that to somebody in his group, to someone like Lilly, was leaving him with a bad taste in his mouth. The sooner they got out of the area, the better.

"Get in the car, Lilly." Daryl's voice was tired yet firm. With that, he turned away and hopped onto his motorcycle.

Lilly shuffled her feet awkwardly and then accepted that he wasn't going to tell her. With a sigh, she turned and hurried to Glenn and Maggie's car, hopping in just as the engines started growling. The procession of cars, with Daryl leading on his bike, exited the small town, hopefully leaving the horrors it held behind.

….

That night, they found a rickety old farm house secure enough to stay in for the night. The group was grateful to have some walls around them. The weather had only gotten windier throughout the afternoon, and once the sun was down it was going to get cold.

Seeing as they wouldn't be completely exposed like they were in the forest, there was no need to tie cans around the perimeter. Lilly was grateful for this. After yesterday's events, she was not eager to relive having a walker come after her from behind.

She helped the group carry sleeping bags and some nighttime supplies into the building. Everyone seemed to have a designated job - some went on lookout and others went about organizing their possessions. Everyone had agreed to stay in the living room near the front door. It had a fireplace, two long couches, and was big enough that they could all have room to sleep in it. Herschel and Lori would get the couches, and everyone else had the floor.

As everyone set to work, Lilly stood awkwardly in the middle of the room. She wasn't sure what to do - there were no tin cans to hang, no tents to set up. She couldn't help with the lookouts seeing as she didn't know a thing about defending herself or anyone else, or even have a weapon for that matter. Lilly glanced around the room, trying to find someone that could use her help.

Lori was in the middle of straightening out her sleeping bag on the couch, but paused when a wave of nausea hit her. Lilly noticed immediately. "Is there anything I can help with?"

"Some water would be great -" Lori started, pausing when she turned and realized she was speaking to Lilly. The woman forced a smile. "Oh no, hon, I'm good. Thanks though."

 _What is her problem?_ Lilly fought back a frown. Lorio was looking at her like one might look at a ticking bomb. _What does she think I'm gonna do? Break into hysterics and kill everyone?_ Lilly wanted to confront Lori and let her know that she meant no harm, but decided against it. People were tired, Lori was sick and pregnant, there was no need to cause a scene now.

Instead, Lilly simply nodded and went to the water supply in one of the cars outside. She grabbed a water bottle and marched back into the farmhouse, making a beeline for Lori. The woman had finished straightening her sleeping bag and blinked in surprise when she saw Lilly, who simply held the water bottle out to her in silence. With a small, fake smile, Lori took the bottle. Lilly had turned and walked away before the woman could fake a 'thank you'.

Out on the porch, Daryl was busy skinning the last of the squirrels he'd killed the day before. He sat on the front steps, not bothering to look up when Lilly paused behind him, though she was sure he knew she was there. She debated going back inside - after all, Daryl surely would not appreciate her presence, he'd made that all too clear. But the thought of the stifling living room, hounded by Lori's judgmental glare and Maggie's babying, made the girl feel anything but comfortable. After a moment of deliberation, Lilly came and sat on the porch next to the hunter.

Daryl continued his project, cutting into a second squirrel and ignoring Lilly. She didn't mind. The gory mess in his hands was a bit distracting anyway. Lilly could feel her stomach role at the bloody sight, but she forced herself to keep watching. _A dead squirrel's nothing_ , she told herself. _That's what T-Dog said. I've got to get over it._

Some blood spurted over Daryl's thumb and it was all Lilly could do to keep from shutting her eyes. To someone watching, she would have looked like she was trying to have a staring contest with the squirrel in Daryl's hands. The girl sat, unmoving, staring hard at the nasty sight.

Apparently, her staring had finally moved Daryl to say something. He spared a curious glance her direction before going back to the squirrel in his hands. "Do ya' have to creep over my shoulder like that?"

Lilly blushed, realizing she had been leaning in close. "Sorry." She scooted a few inches away.

Daryl waited for her to go back inside, but was disappointed when she stayed put. He watched her in the corner of his eye, taking advantage of the moment he saw her shiver a little. "You should go back inside."

Lilly snorted. "And listen to Lori complain some more?"

Daryl huffed a small chuckle at that. "Yeah, pregnant or not, she's a pain in the neck."

Lilly smirked, relaxing a little where she sat. So far, Daryl didn't seem to be too annoyed with her. They both fell back into silence, this time a little more comfortable. Lilly continued to watch him clean out his squirrel. The sight was icky, but she found that after she got over the initial disgust, it was bearable. _Progress_ , she smiled.

The third squirrel lay next to Daryl on the steps. Lilly considered it, feeling her stomach settle. She knew she could handle watching one get skinned now, but she wanted to push herself a little farther.

Lilly reached her hand out and curled her fingers around the squirrel's tail before she could change her mind. The way its head lolled and its tiny feet dangled made her want to drop it immediately, but Lilly gripped tighter and forced herself to bring it closer.

Daryl watched with mild amusement, enjoying how her nose twitched as she tried not to grimace. "You gonna name it or somethin'?"

"I want to help skin it," Lilly answered, lowering the dead squirrel onto her lap. Her green eyes flicked over to Daryl hopefully. "Could you teach me?"

Daryl glanced between her and the squirrel in her lap, then the skinned rodent in his hands. After a moment, he scoffed. "Yeah, fine." Setting his own squirrel aside, he turned to face Lilly better and held out his bloody knife. "Take this."

Lilly took the knife from him, their hands brushing as she did so. His skin was warm. Lilly shook off the random observation and concentrated on holding the knife. "Okay…"

Daryl smirked at the way she held it like a toddler, shaking his head. "You're holding it wrong." He quickly readjusted the knife in her hand so that she was gripping it properly, his rough fingers warm on her cold skin. Then he took the squirrel out of her lap and laid it out in front of her on the porch floor. Lilly swallowed.

"Lift its tail up," Daryl instructed. Lilly did as asked, her other hand unconsciously twisting the knife around in her grasp. "Now you're gonna want to cut -" Daryl trailed off, sighing at how Lilly was the holding the knife wrong again. He adjusted her hand and gave it a squeeze, as if to say "don't move it again." Then Daryl went back to the squirrel. "Now you're gonna want to cut at the base of the tail, right there," he pointed to the area.

Lilly rested her knife against the base of the tail and took a small breath. Then she applied some pressure and started to cut.

"You're gonna have to cut harder than that," Daryl chuckled. "All your doin' now is givin' him a haircut."

Lilly pushed harder, cringing when she felt her blade break through the skin. "Ugh… now what?"

"Now you break the tailbone," Daryl told her. He took the knife from her and made a few additional cuts to make it easier, then held the squirrel out for her to take. "Grip the tail and the back legs…" He moved her hands into position. "And then twist it."

Lilly twisted, though nothing happened.

"Harder than that, ya sissy." Daryl was torn between irritation and amusement. She was putting so much concentration into the task. If it had been him, he would have had that squirrel ready to cook by now.

Lilly gripped tighter, grit her teeth, and twisted as hard as she could. There was a sickening crack that popped under her hands. She nearly dropped the squirrel in surprise. "Oh! Was that - did I -"

"Yup," Daryl affirmed, taking the squirrel from her and twisting it a little more, just to make sure. Lilly winced as she heard more cracking of bones. "Alright, now I'll hold the tail, you take the back legs, and pull."

"Right." Lilly did as she was told, gripping the little appendages tight, and yanking hard. She gasped as the squirrel seemed to slide out of its fur like a foot out of a sock. Suddenly, Daryl had a limp fur in his hands and Lilly had the pink rodent in hers. She set it down on the ground quickly, grimacing and wiping her hands on her poncho.

Daryl picked it up and pulled off a few bits of skin that had stayed. "Not bad, princess."

Lilly was about to congratulate herself, but then she frowned. "That's it? What about - where's all the blood?"

"Well we're not done yet," Daryl explained, setting the skinned rodent in front of her again. "Now you gotta cut it open, clean it out."

Lilly picked up the knife and pointed it where Daryl told her, around the lower half of its stomach. Feeling a little braver now, Lilly made the incision. That's when the blood showed up. Lilly tensed as some of the red liquid got on her fingers. "Yugh…"

"Now cut up to the ribs… careful not to cut too deep, don't wanna hit the bladder." Lilly's stomach started acting up as she cut upwards, feeling muscle and ligaments breaking under her blade. Something squirted. Lilly's face paled. "Come on, don't chicken out now," Daryl scolded. _What a baby_.

"This is disgusting…" Lilly groaned.

Daryl ignored her and helped spread the squirrels legs and hold the cut open. "Alright, now reach in and pull the organs out."

"I have to stick my hand in there?!"

"Yeah, quit whining and do it already."

Lilly stuck her hand inside the little rodent, despising the feeling of wet blood and slimy insides coating her skin. As soon as she felt something that was hopefully an organ, she pulled it out. Daryl opened her hand and nodded. "That's the liver. Get back in there and get the rest."

The next couple of minutes were spent with Lilly pulling out the squirrel's innards, the only thing keeping her from calling quits being Daryl's scolding. He couldn't care less about how ill it was making her. She'd asked for it.

As Lilly completed her task, she found that her stomach had stopped rolling. It was still disgusting, but it didn't bother her quite as much as it had at first. _Progress_.

Laying the heart on the porch next to the other organs, Lilly kept her bloody hands at arm's length. "I did it." Nauseated as she felt, a small smile graced her lips.

"Took you long enough," Daryl merely grumbled, though secretly he was pleased. At least she was willing to get out of her comfort zone. She had a long way to go, but he supposed the stupid squirrel was a start. "Here."

He handed her a rag that he'd been using to wipe his own bloody hands. Lilly accepted it gratefully, scrubbing away at the red stains on her skin. High on her new success, she smiled. "Just wait - I'll be taking down walkers in no time."

"Dead squirrel's a little different than a walker," Daryl scoffed.

Lilly gave the bloody rag back to Daryl, looking over the bloody, skinned squirrel she'd operated on. "But I'll learn. It'll take some time to get used to… to… killing a human body, but…" Lilly trailed off, her smile fading a little. How would she ever get used to that? To seeing a walking corpse that had once had a name, a family, a life? How would she ever have the strength to put a bullet through a human's brain?

 _How did it come to this?_ Lilly thought sadly.

"Hey." Daryl's quiet growl brought her out of her depressing reverie. She looked at him. He held his hand out to her, offering up the knife she'd used to cut the squirrel open. "Take it."

Lilly hesitated. "You want me to have it? Are you sure?"

"I've got other knives, arrows, my crossbow. You need a weapon."

Lilly slowly took the knife from him, watching the silver blade glint menacingly. It was a simple weapon, a sleek black handle and a long sharp edge, but it was what she needed. Lilly twisted the knife around in her hands, giving Daryl a shy smile. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Daryl replied, already standing up and brushing off the moment. He picked up the three squirrels, all ready to be cooked, and jerked his head to the door. "C'mon. I'm cold and hungry. Let's get the fire going."

Lilly followed him back into the farmhouse, having forgotten all about the cold weather.


	5. Chapter 5

"Lilly! C'mon, not again… Lilly, wake up!" Maggie's voice had her shooting out of unconsciousness with a gasp.

It took Lilly a moment to orient herself, shivering in cold sweat and glancing around the dark room with wild eyes. Maggie rubbed her hands up and down Lilly's arms soothingly in an effort to warm her. The movements helped Lilly remember where she was - on the floor in the rickety old farm house, trying to sleep.

"You good?" Maggie whispered.

Lilly allowed her eyes to adjust to the darkness, finding Maggie's face. It took a minute to catch her breath. "I started screaming again, didn't I?"

Maggie replied with a quiet "yes", but Lilly didn't even need to hear her confirmation to know. As she peered around the room, she could see people sitting up in their places on the floor, groaning tiredly. Apparently, she had woken the whole group up. Her heart sunk.

"I'm sorry," Lilly apologized softly, shoulders slumping as everyone grumbled and went back to sleep. _Way to go, Lilly_.

"Are you okay now?" Maggie asked, though what she was really wondering was if she could go back to sleep. Lilly nodded and nudged Maggie in thanks. The farm girl yawned and tiptoed back to her place next to Glenn, already asleep before her head hit the floor.

Lilly wiped the cold sweat from her brow and pulled her poncho tighter around herself. Her heart was still pounding, and her throat was raw from the screaming she'd unknowingly done. There was no way she'd be going back to sleep now. She didn't want to risk waking everyone up again. Lori's judging glare was constant enough as it was, she didn't need anyone else looking at her like that.

Pulling her blanket up around her shoulders, Lilly padded to the front door, stepping over a few sleeping bodies as she did so. She slid the door just wide enough for her to slip through so that the cold wind wouldn't disturb the others, shutting it quietly once she'd passed onto the porch. Even with her blanket and layers of clothing, Lilly couldn't help but shiver. The night air stung her cheeks and nose.

The sensation of Deja vu hit Lilly like a tidal wave the moment she saw a pair of angel wings standing guard on the porch steps. Her corners of her mouth twitched at the sight. It seemed that her and the hunter couldn't stay away from each other, even if it was on accident.

She noticed Daryl shrug his jacket closer around himself and frowned. It was freezing. How long had he been out here? Now that Lilly thought about it, Daryl had taken first watch. He should have been sleeping by now.

"Why are you still out here?" Lilly asked softly as she stepped forward to stand next to him.

"Someone's gotta keep a lookout," Daryl shrugged, his voice gravelly with exhaustion. "Especially when you're screaming loud enough for every walker in the state to hear."

Lilly ducked her head and shuffled her feet in embarrassment. "I'm sorry."

Daryl huffed in annoyance, causing her to look up at him with a frown. What had she done now?

In response to her questioning gaze, Daryl shook his head. "You sound like a broken record. That's all you say to anyone. Quit apoligizin'."

"Sorr…" Lilly stopped herself when Daryl cast a piercing glare her way. "Okay."

Something rustled in the foliage, followed by a raspy hiss. Daryl immediately tensed and raised his crossbow up, his blue eyes peering into the darkness. Lilly took an involuntary step closer to him and unsheathed her new knife that she'd tucked into the waistband of her pants. The pair scanned the inky scenery before them, both wishing they had a flashlight.

A jet black silhouette emerged from the shadows, moving towards them with unsteady, jerky movements. The walkers groans sent chills up Lilly's spine. Her hand tightened around the hilt of her knife.

It only took a second for Daryl to make out its head and fire an arrow into it. The walker dropped, the sound of its body crumpling causing Lilly to wince.

"Told ya you were screaming loud enough for walkers to hear," Daryl breathed, listening intently for more walkers.

"Sorry - ow!" Lilly was elbowed in the ribs the moment the word 'sorry' had come out of her mouth. Daryl's strong arm knocked her to the side, not violently, but enough to cause her to stumble. She rubbed her side, glaring at Daryl. He ignored her.

There wasn't time for him to scold her for apologizing again, because another walker was making itself known. Its crooked silhouette hobbled towards them, nearly stumbling over the body of the first walker. Daryl took aim and fired, but his arrow hit the walker's neck. The walker's moans turned into unpleasant gurgles as blood leaked from its mouth and the wound above its collar bone. Daryl cursed while Lilly watched in shock. She had never imagined that he was capable of missing his target - Daryl's skills had always been flawless.

The walker inched closer as Daryl reloaded his crossbow. Just as it was coming a little too close for comfort, he shot a second arrow at it and this time hit the brain. The walker collapsed near the bottom of the porch steps.

Silence followed the miniature attack. Daryl's eyes flickered around the farm house, his hearing trained to pick up any signs of additional threats. All was quiet for a good five minutes. Lilly worried at her lip and clutched her knife in her hand, stock still in dreaded anticipation.

When nothing happened, Daryl slowly lowered his crossbow. "Look's like we're good… for now, at least." With that, his entire posture relaxed and he leaned against the porch railing, as if nothing had happened at all. As if he'd just taken a stroll in the park.

Lilly, on the other hand, was still rigid. While Daryl bit at the corner of his thumb, she continued to scan the surrounding area and clench her teeth so hard her jaw started to ache. Her thumb rubbed the handle of her knife - not that she knew how to use the weapon, but holding it made her feel better nonetheless.

If Daryl noticed Lilly's anxiety, he didn't acknowledge it. After popping his knuckles, he leisurely descended the porch steps and yanked his two arrows out of the second walker's head and neck. They came out with a juicy squelch that had Lilly's insides shriveling.

After swallowing back the bile in her throat, Lilly managed to speak. "Are you sure there won't be more?" Her voice quivered pathetically.

Daryl rolled his eyes. "There will always be more." He turned to see her small form standing on the porch nervously. Jerking his head, he urged her to come down the steps. "Come get the last arrow."

"W-what?" Lilly stuttered in shock. _Absolutely not!_

"You heard me," Daryl told her, gesturing towards the first walker who was still crumpled on the ground.

Lilly shook her head vehemently. "No,no, I - I'm not comfortable with that -"

"Weren't you just sayin' you'd be taking down walkers in no time?"

"Well, yeah but -"

"Then get movin'."

Lilly opened her mouth to continue protesting, but the look Daryl was giving her made her pause. He was trying to help, in his own, gruff, Dixon way. She needed to get used to seeing walkers, to hearing and smelling the gore that came with them. Daryl knew it, and Lilly knew it. This was an opportunity to improve herself.

Sucking in a breath, Lilly reluctantly stepped down the rickety wooden stairs. The moonlight illuminated clouds of air puffing from her and Daryl's mouth. It traced the outline of his face and shone in his blue eyes as he watched her. Lilly exchanged a look with him before steeling herself and stepping around the walker body closest to the steps, making her way towards the farther one.

It was sprawled out on its side, it's limbs having landed at awkward angles. Flaps of material on its shredded clothes twitched with the wind. The walker's head was bent back, its mouth gaping wide open and the moon reflecting in its glassy, lifeless eyes. Lilly came to a stop by its shoulders and tucked her knife back in her waistband, clenching and unclenching her fists while she tried to find her courage. _I can do this. I can skin and gut a squirrel. I can pull an arrow out of a dead man's head._

Just as she started to feel strength bubble in her chest and prepared to reach of the arrow, a glint on the walkers chest caught her eye. She bent down a little to see. It was a name tag.

Harrison Moss - a student teacher for an elementary school. Age twenty-two. Next to the text was a picture of a young man. Flashing a set of pearly white teeth accompanied by a pair of dimples, Harrison was a nice enough looking guy. His brown eyes twinkled youthfully, crinkling at the corners. Skinny and slightly geeky, he looked like one of those people that got along with everyone. Were it not for the end of the world, he might have become a popular teacher, with a perfect family and a white picket fence. Now, he was nothing but a rotting corpse that met an anti-climatic end.

Lilly wanted to be sick. Her knees started to grow weak and shaky and her head spun a little. This was a person, for heaven's sake!

"Lilly," Daryl spoke quietly, urging her to retrieve the arrow already.

Lilly tore her eyes away from the nametag and shook her head helplessly. "His name's Harrison Moss… he was going to be a teacher…" She relayed the information stiffly, as if that would explain why she couldn't get over herself and grab the stupid arrow.

Daryl watched her face grow whiter with the moonlight. The girl that had smiled in victory after skinning a squirrel was gone, replaced by a fragile porcelain doll that was vulnerable to the slightest flick on the shoulder. He should have gone and pulled the arrow out for her and been done with it, but he held his ground. She needed to learn.

"Whoever Harrison Moss is…" Daryl shrugged. "He's gone. That body you're standin' over - that ain't him. That's just a body."

Lilly bit her lip and glanced back down at the unmoving walker. She grit her teeth and reached for the arrow, making sure to keep her eyes away from the nametag as she did so. Her hands tightened around the arrow and gave it a yank. The head jerked with it, a sickening squishy sound hitting Lilly's ears. Her stomach tightened, but she took a deep breath and yanked again. The arrow still wouldn't budge.

With a desperate sigh, Lilly got bold and stuck her foot on the walker's shoulders, holding the body down while she pulled on the arrow as hard as she could. It came out with a slurp and a pop, cold liquid splashing onto her shoes and fingers. Lilly stumbled back with the newly retrieved arrow clutched in her fists and bit back a whimper.

"Got it," she breathed, sucking in the refreshing cold air and giving her stomach a moment to settle. On unsteady feet, she picked her way over the body and back to where Daryl stood by the porch, holding the arrow out to him wordlessly.

Daryl took the arrow and gave her an approving nod. She fiddled with her poncho and stared at her shoes, biting her cheeks as she wiped her feet on the long grass to get the walker liquid off. When Daryl stepped back onto the porch to put the three arrows back with the rest next to his crossbow, Lilly followed and plopped down on the top step, leaning against the porch railing. Daryl sat against the opposite side of the steps.

"Who am I kidding?" Lilly mumbled, not really thinking about what she was saying. She was tired and people tended to open up more when they weren't wide awake. "I'm not gonna make it. I can't even look at a walker without wanting to curl up into a ball and hide."

"You just pulled an arrow outta one - that's something," Daryl reasoned.

"Not compared to the rest of you," Lilly huffed. "I just watched you take out two walkers without even blinking. I saw T-Dog step over a body like it was nothing but a speed bump. Even Lori's taken care of a few walkers, and she's pregnant. Let's face it, I wasn't supposed to survive this long. I'm a goner."

"You shouldn't talk like that," Daryl snapped. "If you say you're gonna die, you're gonna die. At least try to act hopeful." He paused for a moment, meeting Lilly's eyes before shifting and looking away.

Lilly blinked at him in surprise. She hesitated for a moment before tentatively asking, "Do you actually care about what happens to me?"

Daryl didn't answer for a long time, keeping his gaze fixed on the moonlit scenery. Of course he cared. Just like he cared when Sophia was missing, or when Carol was almost left behind at the Greene's farm. Daryl was a good person with good intentions - even if he did try to cover it up with his gruff demeanor. Lilly was just so helpless, with her giant green eyes and delicate aura - leaving her behind would have been like abandoning a newborn kitten.

So yes, Daryl supposed that he did care about whether Lilly lived or died. Who wouldn't? Finally, he answered - so quietly that Lilly barely heard it. "I'm not heartless, you know."

Lilly couldn't help but smile a little, hugging her legs to her knees and biting her lip. Daryl frowned at her reaction, feeling a little defensive. "What?"

"Just… It's a relief to know that when I die, I won't completely disappear," Lilly responded factually, like she was talking about the weather and not about her life. "That was always something that bothered me when I was sitting in that attic… I always had this image of my rotting corpse curled up in the corner, the walls cracking and breaking, empty food cans scattered around, everything gathering dust while the cabin slowly dissolved into nothing but a pile of rubble. And my body would vanish with it, leaving no trace of my existence behind… I'd just disappear. Everything I'd ever done in my life wouldn't even matter, because nobody would be alive to remember any of it."

"Well aren't you just a little ray o' sunshine," Daryl grumbled.

"I'm just saying," Lilly defended, "I always had that fear, and it's nice to know that someone will be able to remember me when I'm gone."

"And what makes you think I'll be around?"

Lilly smiled warmly. "Daryl, if anyone is going to survive the apocalypse, it's you."

Daryl found himself lost in her gaze, surprised by her sudden openness. Uncomfortable with the compliment, he shifted and waved it off. "Quit bein' a kissup. And quit actin' like you're doomed. No more of this pity party crap. You need to start takin' care of yourself."

Lilly moved to respond, but was cut off by a large yawn.

"And you can start by going back to sleep," Daryl finished, raising his eyebrows pointedly when she rubbed her eyes.

"Can't," Lilly drawled sleepily. "I'll just start screaming and wake everyone up again."

She had him there. Daryl bit at his thumb for a moment before deciding to clean off the arrows that were now coated in walker guts. Pulling a rag from his back pocket, he picked up the three arrows and started wiping them off.

Lilly watched serenely, her eyelids feeling heavy. She wanted to go inside and go back to sleep desperately, but her fear of night terrors was too great. The group needed as much rest as possible, and Lilly refused to be the one that interfered with that. It was better that she went on being exhausted rather than the whole group. So she stayed out on the porch with Daryl, allowing the cold wind to keep her from getting too comfortable.

Daryl was looking tired too. Lilly watched as he blinked back a yawn and focused a little too intently on the arrows he was cleaning. "Have you slept at all tonight?"

Daryl's hands paused for a moment before continuing their task. After a moment, he mumbled, "Someone's gotta keep a lookout."

"But that doesn't have to be just you," Lilly pushed. "Don't you all take shifts?"

Daryl didn't answer, giving her all the answer she needed. Yes, they did work in shifts, he had just chosen not to give the next person their turn.

"Let someone else take over for a while. I could do it."

Daryl snorted at that. "No offense, but I don't think anyone would feel safe with you and your knife that you don't even know how to use protecting us."

"Okay, well maybe not me," Lilly conceded, "...yet." One day, she decided, she'd be capable of taking watch - just not tonight. For now, she was trying to prove a different point. "But someone else could help out. Someone else can come take a turn while you get some rest."

"Nah, they need their sleep," Daryl shrugged.

"So do _you_ ," Lilly told him firmly. "You're important to everyone - you're one of the strongest people here. Nobody else can shoot us a couple of squirrels, only you can do that. You need your rest."

"What, are you my mother now?" Daryl scoffed. Why did she care so much?

"No," Lilly rolled her eyes. "But I am a friend that cares."

 _Friend?_ The word caught Daryl off guard. He didn't have _friends_. He supposed he had people he cared about, people he wanted to protect. There were people he got along with better than others in the group. But _friends_ … he'd never really let that word cross his mind before.

Lilly could see the way her words had affected Daryl, turning him into an awkward, brooding little schoolboy. Apparently she'd hit a sensitive spot. She watched him shift uncomfortably, his blue eyes engrossed in the process of cleaning his arrows, for once lacking any sort of rude comeback. She'd made him feel uneasy, Lilly realized.

"And…" she quickly added with a wry smile, "No offense, but I don't think anyone would feel safe with you and your crossbow that you're too tired to aim properly protecting us."

Daryl huffed, immediately back to his normal self. "The sun'll be comin' up in a couple hours anyway."

Lilly frowned unhappily at his response. Why was he so insistent on staying up? She knew she was being a bit of a hypocrite for telling him to go to sleep while she refused to do just that, but she had a real reason… _Oh_. That's when it hit her.

"You have nightmares too." Lilly stated gently, her green eyes softening, "Don't you?"

Daryl's eyes locked with hers. He didn't need to say anything, she already knew that she was right. The haunted look in his blue eyes was enough to let her know.

Neither Lilly nor Daryl said anything after that, both retreating into their own thoughts. The frigid wind kept them both awake while they sat on the porch. No more walkers came. The moon watched the unlikely pair, slowly sinking away and allowing dawn to arrive.

…

"Are you sure this is worth it?" Maggie grimaced. "I'm cold enough as it is."

"I didn't get soap so that it could sit in the car and look pretty," Beth responded simply, then gave her sister a firm nod. "It's worth it."

"On the count of three, then," Lilly said. "One… two… THREE!"

The three girls ripped off their layers of clothes - minus their underwear - and ran into the icy water. Several miles off from the farmhouse, the group had discovered a quaint little river flowing by. While a few of the men had refilled their water supply, thankful for the filter they'd found a few weeks back, the women had all decided to wash up. Most had elected to stay at the edge and shampoo their hair, but Beth had been insistent on getting completely clean. After a good deal of persuasion, she'd dragged Maggie and Lilly to an area of the river where they wouldn't be seen.

Maggie and Beth both squealed as the frigid water soaked their skin. Lilly couldn't help but laugh at the silliness of it. The three waded waist deep in before the temperature was too much.

"Quick, the bottle Beth!" Maggie shivered, holding her hands out impatiently.

"I'm working on it!" Beth replied through chattering teeth, squeezing a generous amount into her hands before tossing the shampoo over to Maggie. Maggie doused her head in the stuff and then tossed it to Lilly, who almost lost it because her hands were shaking so bad.

They all hurriedly lathered their hair in the stuff. Lilly counted to three again and they ducked their heads into the water at once, coming up gasping and yelping as the cold burned their faces.

"This is the stupidest thing I've ever done!" Maggie complained as she waited for Beth to finish with the soap.

"I can't feel my legs," Beth whined.

They quickly finished washing up, groaning when they had to rinse their bodies off with the freezing water. As soon as they were done, they leapt out of the river and onto land, quickly shuffling to their dry clothes.

Lilly struggled to get her jeans on, but was able to manage. Her nose, fingers, and feet were bright red with cold. She quickly threw on a long sleeved shirt, then a purple sweater over that, and then her grey poncho. Her wet hair clung to her face and neck, freezing her skin. Beth seemed to be having the same problem, groaning jealously when Maggie simply towelled her short hair dry in a manner of minutes.

Once Lilly and Beth had finished towel drying their hair as best they could and brushed it out with a brush Beth had found the previous day, they headed back to the rest of the group.

Lilly found that she was glad Beth had convinced her to bathe in the icy river. As she started to warm back up, she relished in the clean feeling. No dirt or grime coated her white skin, and she could already feel that her damp hair had a bounce to it that had been lacking for some time.

They approached the rest of the group, who were leaning against their cars munching on stale granola bars. Lilly took one gratefully and tore into it.

"What are you smiling at?" Daryl nudged her shoulder.

"Just nice to feel clean," Lilly replied around a mouthful of granola bar.

Daryl shook his head. "Bet that woke you up."

"Yeah, it did," Lilly smiled. She glanced up at Daryl, squinting a little. "Maybe you should try it sometime."

"Nah, I'm good." No way was Daryl getting in that water and dying of hypothermia.

Lilly's teasing expression lessened slightly. "You're weaving back and forth on that bike. Don't act like you're not exhausted. You better sleep tonight."

"You're one to talk," Daryl defended. "Don't act like I didn't see ya this morning, practically slapping your face to stay awake."

Lilly sighed. "Alright, let's make a deal. If you sleep tonight, I'll sleep tonight."

Daryl rolled his eyes at the childish tactic. "Deal."

After everyone had finished eating, they got back in their vehicles and sped off. Maggie and Lilly were particularly chipper after their bath, and they were driving Glenn insane. Maggie was singing as loudly as possible, purposely holding notes off key so that Glenn would cringe. Lilly watched with a grin.

Maybe she'd been reluctant to connect with people at first, but after being with the group, she was extremely glad she'd chosen to join them. She'd missed this interaction - joking and laughing with each other. The fear of losing someone was always there, but at times like this, Lilly felt that the risk was worth it.

The sound of Daryl's motorbike grew louder and Lilly looked out the window. He had taken the rear of the parade for an hour or so, now speeding up to take the lead. He slowed a little to ride alongside Glenn and Maggie's car. Lilly frowned at his hands, red and dry on the handlebars and definitely _not_ handling the cold well.

When Daryl sped up again, she shook the frown off and gave him a cheeky wave. He responded with an eyeroll and zipped off. Lilly sat back in her seat with a smirk.

Things were definitely looking up.

That is, until they reached a pileup in the road. Cars were lined up for a good mile, leaving no room for the group to pass through.

Daryl's chest tightened immediately at the sight. It was too familiar of a scene - reminding him of the day that Sophia was chased into the woods, never to be seen alive again. He didn't like this. Not one bit.

Swearing, the hunter brought his bike to a stop, the rest of the cars stopping behind him. Everyone gaped at the sight, dread building up inside them.

No good could come of this.


	6. Chapter 6

"You have got to be kidding me," Glenn swore under his breath after pulling the car to a stop. Him and Maggie both got out of the car, Lilly following reluctantly. Everyone in the group came to the front by Daryl's motorbike, waiting for instruction from Rick.

The ex-cop looked on the verge of screaming, or crying maybe. Hands on his hips, he scanned the sight of seemingly never ending cars. It would take a while to get through.

When they saw that their leader had no words, people began to shift and shuffle their feet nervously. "We could turn around, see if we can find a side road," T-Dog suggested.

"Nah - can't risk the herds catching up," Rick sighed. "Our best option is through."

"That could take a day or two," Glenn said. "And we'll be exposed… you sure it's the safest choice?"

Rick considered this silently, biting the inside of his cheek. They were in a bad situation. The risk of getting overwhelmed by a walker herd - or worse, getting discovered by another group of survivors - was high at this point. It didn't help that much of the group was having flashbacks to the last time they'd been stuck in a buildup of cars - the day Sophia had gone missing. Tensions were high.

After some thought, Rick spoke again. "We'll work on clearing the road as much as we can today. Tonight we'll park the vehicles where we've cleared the road and blend in, sleep inside the cars. Hopefully we won't get noticed."

It wasn't the most secure sounding plan, but nobody could deny that it was the best plan they had. Eager to get out of there as soon as possible, everyone got moving.

Lilly moved to follow Maggie and Glenn to the nearest abandoned car when a hand touched her elbow. She turned to find Daryl looking at her strangely, like he was looking at her, but seeing someone else. "Stay close," was all he said, before he tore his eyes away from her and went to help Rick. Lilly watched him go, a little concerned. Something was definitely bothering him.

There wasn't time to deal with that now, though. They needed to get this road cleared. Lilly turned and caught up with Maggie and Glenn.

It was a long, gruelling day. Maggie, Glenn, and Lilly formed a sort of pattern, taking turns sitting in the driver's seat of empty cars to steer while the other two helped push it off the road. Lilly's skin hurt from the cold, the metal cars practically burning her every time she laid her hands on one to push it. The work was uncomfortable, tedious, and only got worse the deeper into the pile-up they got.

She approached a rusty blue car, her eyes twinkling in approval at the Disneyland sticker on the back window. The classic mouse shape brought a wave of nostalgia to her. She missed the annual trips that she used to take with her family. They were always chaotic and exhausting, but the trips had created hundreds of memories that she could look back on with a smile. Now, a place like Disneyland was nothing more than another broken down walker nest, Lilly imagined.

As she got nearer to the car, she noticed another detail that made her stop in her tracks. Dried blood was sprayed all over the inside of the windows, like a balloon full of red food coloring had exploded inside the car.

"Lilly?" Glenn noticed how Lilly had frozen, and came to see what she was looking at. When he noticed the blood, he sighed. He had expected something like this. "Looks like they opted out."

"You mean… Oh." Lilly swallowed, approaching the car. Though she didn't really want to, she couldn't help but try and peer through the dried blood. Sure enough, four bodies lay slumped over in the seats. A gun glinted on the driver's lap. Lilly felt sick as she imagined how they must have come to the decision together, passing the weapon around and saying their goodbyes. "That's horrible…" she breathed, stepping away before she could take in any more grotesque details.

Maggie joined her and Glenn by the car and squeezed Lilly's shoulder. "I'll take care of this one. You two just push," she told them softly.

Lilly looked away while Maggie and Glenn both opened the door and pushed the bodies aside so that Maggie could have access to the steering wheel. She locked eyes with Daryl a few cars away. From the way his shoulders slumped, he had seen a similarly gruesome sight too. As soon as Maggie was ready, Glenn and Lilly made quick work of pushing the car off the road. Lilly was eager to move on.

It only took a few more cars for her to realize that she would be unable to escape the sad scenes for a while.

Bodies started to appear everywhere, lying in cars. Families, lovers, strangers. It appeared that many had resorted to suicide in a stressful time, their guns or sleeping medications lying abandoned in their stiff hands. Whatever had happened on this road, it was clear that it had led people trying to escape to reach a moment of hopelessness and give up.

Some were well and truly dead, having blown their brains out, but others had been cursed to continue their undead life. Lilly jumped several times when a walker would unexpectedly hit the window of a car, trying to get out. Maggie and Glenn would quickly take care of them, swinging the car doors open and inserting a knife into their brains. Their work got more and more bothersome for Lilly as she watched them yank bodies out of cars, pulling the deadweight aside and making room to get to the steering wheels.

The group was encouraged to stay quiet as they worked, not wanting to awaken too many walkers at once. The tense silence made the day only grow longer.

It took several hours, but Lilly finally got the stomach to help with the bodies. The sensation of limp limbs flopping to the ground under her made her blood run cold, but she found that as long as she didn't study the corpse's features too much, she could handle it. After seeing the nametag last night, she'd learned her lesson. Don't think about it, just get it done.

Daryl, who was better adjusted - not to mention stronger - made a quick work of removing bodies and pushing cars. The sight of dead families - particularly the children - who had chosen to die together made him grind his teeth and clench his fists, but he was good at covering up any emotion. He'd seen it before, so it didn't affect him quite as strongly as it would affect someone like Lilly.

Speaking of Lilly, he couldn't seem to stop himself from automatically looking her way every once and awhile, as if to check that she was still there. He supposed it was because she was so similar to Sophia in a way - innocent, sensitive, and still far from independent. Daryl couldn't stop thinking about that little girl wandering around the forest alone, screaming when a walker came up behind her and bit into her shoulder, maybe escaping and suffering through a fever before dying. Everyone had had time to grieve for the child, but Sophia still haunted him. And the longer he stayed on this road, surrounded by cars, almost trapped in the past, the more uneasy he felt.

Daryl grunted as he finished pushing another car aside and wiped his dirty hands on his pants. He couldn't wait to get out of here.

Lifting his eyes up to the other side of the road, he scanned the mass of cars for Lilly. She was nowhere in sight. Daryl furrowed his brow and scanned again, taking care to study where Maggie and Glenn were leaning against a car and taking a break. A voice in his head told him that something was off, but Daryl dismissed it quickly. She was probably close to Glenn and Maggie, taking a break where he couldn't see. _Honestly, I'm not her babysitter_ , he told himself, and turned to move on to the next car.

A piercing scream hit the air. It sounded all too familiar - Daryl had heard it just last night. His heart skipped a beat. _No, no, no!_ Snatching up his crossbow, Daryl roughly shoved T-Dog out of the way and bolted to the source of the sound, practically leaping over the hood of a car as he ran. He swung around another car and found her.

A walker on the ground had clamped its hands around Lilly's ankle and pulled her to the ground. Lilly was kicking at its face, her hands scraping along the road as she tried to pull herself away. The walker only held on tighter, slowly crawling up her leg and snapping its jaws.

Daryl moved to aim his crossbow but hesitated - he didn't want to risk hitting Lilly. So instead, he dropped the weapon and pulled out a knife. Lilly screamed again when the walker moved in to take a bite out of her leg, barely managing to kick it's head back. Daryl was on top of the corpse in a flash, burying his knife into the back of its skull. He yanked it out with a splash of blood and stabbed again, just to make sure. The walker fell limp.

Before Lilly could even move to wiggle her leg out from under the walker, Daryl had grabbed it by the arms and tossed it off of her none too gently. "You alright?" he asked gruffly, kneeling down next to her and grabbing her shoulders. When she took a second too long to answer, he shook her a little. "Sophia?"

Lilly was stunned into silence by the almost wild look in his blue eyes. Her chest was heaving for air as the adrenaline wore off. "I'm okay," she breathed between gasps. "I'm okay. Thank you."

Daryl's eyes flickered over her face briefly before he relaxed his grip on her shoulders and helped her stand up. His heart was still pounding. What had come over him?

Lilly dusted herself off and frowned at Daryl. Her voice was quiet, nervous to ask the question for fear of provoking that wild look again. "Who's Sophia?"

Daryl looked down at her, though his eyes were distant. Had he said Sophia? Before he could answer, Maggie had stepped in front of him and put her arms around Lilly.

"What happened?" T-Dog asked. The group had all come running to the sound of Lilly's screams and were waiting for an explanation.

Lilly's voice was shaky. "There was a walker on the ground - it looked like it'd been taken care of already. I moved to step around it but it grabbed my foot and tripped me. Daryl saved me... " _Again_ , she added in her head, cheeks flushing with embarrassment. She hoped this wouldn't become a regular occurrence - it made her feel stupid.

Everyone relaxed and sighed in relief when they saw that all was well. Sensing Lilly's humiliation, Rick got everyone moving again. "Alright, nothing to see here. Let's get back to work."

Everyone split and went back to what they were doing before - except Daryl. He was still standing in place, shoulders slumped, a far off expression on his face. Lilly bit her lip in concern and lightly touched his wrist. "Daryl? Are you okay?"

Daryl flinched at her touch and she quickly retreated her hand.

He fixed her with a hard glare. "Next time you get stupid and a walker grabs you, remember you have a knife now and _use it_."

He stomped off, back to the car he'd been getting ready to push, leaving Lilly confused and ashamed. She considered going after him and pushing the issue further, but finally exhaled and cast her eyes downward. _I'm such an idiot_.

To put it simply, the rest of the day was miserable.

….

By the time the sun had set, Lilly was exhausted both physically and emotionally. She had never seen so many walkers or dead bodies before in her life. Lilly supposed that it was a good thing, in a way. It had definitely helped her get used to the death and gore surrounding her. Perhaps she would have felt proud of the progress she'd made, but there was nobody to share her success with.

Daryl had effectively cut himself off from everyone else, brooding and scowling at anyone that dared look his way. He didn't speak a word, just did what needed doing and kept to himself.

Before it got too dark, Rick had all of the group's vehicles moved forward into the area they'd managed to clear. They parked the cars to make them appear that they were part of the pileup. For fear of getting seen, Rick also didn't allow a fire that night. The warmth the flames would have provided was well missed by everyone.

Out in the open, with no tents or walls or trees to shield them, the wind was furious. Lilly thought she felt a snowflake or drop of rain every once in awhile, though nothing happened. For that, she was grateful. She was in such a hopeless mood as it was, any colder and she would have laid down on the gravelly road and given up.

The group kept quiet, hunched around the cars and staying low. They passed around granola bars and crackers - since there was no fire, they couldn't cook anything. It was a fairly dull evening.

When it was time for bed, Lilly was pulled into a van with Carol, Beth, and Herschel. There was lots of room in it for people to lay down and sleep. While Beth and Herschel took the front seats, Carol and Lilly took the back.

Lilly was happy to get out of the wind, but something didn't sit right with her. Daryl had been assigned first watch, and she knew that he would likely stay up through the rest of the shifts as well. Even though he was acting strange and had left her feeling stupid, Lilly was still worried about him. After all, the man had saved her life twice now. Three times if she counted him suggesting that she join the group when he found her in that attic. Lilly had watched him lose more and more energy as the day had gone on. The day had drained him completely. If he didn't sleep soon, he'd be worse off than she was.

Of course, Lilly didn't plan on sleeping tonight. Not when she had an exhausted old man, a young girl, and Carol all trying to rest nearby. Perhaps when they were all asleep, she'd slip back outside so that the cold would keep her awake.

Carol read the girl's mind. When Herschel started to snore and Beth sunk into her chair with a sigh, the older woman sat up and glanced at where Lilly was sitting stiffly on the floor of the van. "You're not going to sleep, are you?"

Lilly jumped a little when Carol spoke, not realizing she was awake. She ran a hand through her hair. "No… I'll just scream and wake you all up."

"You have to sleep sometime," Carol said. "If you start screaming, I'll wake you up."

Lilly considered it, but shook her head. "I don't want to bother you."

Intuitive as ever, Carol managed to look straight into Lilly's mind. "That's not the only thing bothering you, is it?"

"No…" Lilly admitted slowly. She hadn't talked to Carol much. The woman seemed kind, if not a bit distant. _Might as well get comfortable with everyone_ , Lilly decided, _Who knows how long we'll all be together?_ "Who's Sophia?"

Carol stiffened immediately at the name. Nobody talked about her daughter anymore, Sophia's name was like a taboo. The mother had blocked that all out of her mind because it hurt too much to think about. She wanted to change the subject, to say that she didn't want to talk about Sophia, but the way Lilly looked at her was endearing. With her wide green eyes, fiddling with her poncho, Carol couldn't help but concede.

"Sophia…" Carol started, the name feeling odd as it rolled off her tongue. "She was my daughter. I lost her."

Lilly remembered something Maggie had said when she'd first joined the group. " _Carol's daughter was missin' and she turned up as a walker…"_ "Oh…" Lilly immediately realized that she'd brought up a sensitive topic. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to -"

"No, it's alright," Carol assured her quietly. "Maybe… Maybe it'd be good to talk about her… I haven't said much since it all happened."

Lilly bit her lip and waited patiently. The anguish in Carol's soul was plain to see. Carol's eyes welled up she blinked them back, smiling a bit. "My daughter was a sweetheart, you know. Always trying to make people happy. So kind and sensitive… She didn't belong in this world." Carol's words made Lilly furrow her brow in sympathy. "I should've known she wouldn't make it."

"What happened?" Lilly asked gently.

"We were stuck on a highway, surrounded by abandoned cars… a lot like the one we're on now," Carol started. "A herd of walkers showed up. We all hid under the cars and prayed that they'd walk pass. It almost worked. Just when we thought we were safe, we all heard this scream…" Carol's voice caught and she took a breath before continuing. "A walker had found my little Sophia… chased her into the woods…" A tear fell down the woman's face.

Lilly reached out and touched her arm. "You don't have to… if it's too hard -"

"No, no I need to get it out," Carol insisted bravely. "Rick went after them, but he lost her. I blamed him at first, but now I realize that there was nothing he could have done. We stayed on the highway, hoping she'd find her way back. We even spent a day out in the woods searching for her. That's when we found the Greene farm. Carl had been shot on accident and…" Carol trailed off and a small chuckle escaped her. "Well, that's a different story. There was a lot of drama."

Lilly smiled with her "That's what I've heard."

"After Herschel let us stay there, we kept searching. Daryl was the head of it all. He worked so hard, he was so determined to find her." Lilly's ears perked up at Daryl's name. "He risked his life for my little girl - there was one day where he got injured, and when he came limping back to us someone mistook him for a walker and shot him."

Lilly's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Luckily, the bullet just grazed his head. All he needed was some stitches and he was fine."

"Did he keep looking after that?" Lilly asked.

"Of course," Carol smiled wistfully. "It was almost stupid how he tore up the forest looking for her… How he had us all looking for her for weeks. It was such a hard time for me, I could barely find the strength to get up in the morning. And Daryl really kept me going. He had us all convinced that she was still alive, that he would find her and bring her back to me and everything would be just fine in the end."

Lilly knew that there was a different ending coming. She was almost scared to hear it.

"Herschel… he didn't quite understand the walkers for a time. He thought they were sick, that he could help them get better. So he had been keeping the walker's he'd come by in his barn." Lilly was shocked to hear that. "As you can imagine, that didn't really sit well with anyone. A man in our group - Shane - had had enough of it and opened the barn doors, let all the walkers out. They were all shot down. It was horrible to watch, especially for the Greene's - they had a lot of loved ones in there, people that they thought they could fix. We thought it was over, that it couldn't get any worse…" Carol's voice started to tremble and her eyes teared up again. "That's when the last walker came out…"

"Sophia," Lilly breathed, horrified. As Carol nodded in confirmation, it was all Lilly could do to not cry with her. "I'm so, so sorry, Carol."

Carol wiped at her tears and sniffed. "Don't be, it's not your fault."

"Is that why everyone's so nervous about being here?" Lilly asked her. "Because it reminds them of what happened?"

Carol nodded. "I would assume so. It's definitely made me think of her. I imagine it's why Daryl's so moody." At Lilly's questioning look, Carol expanded further. "Of course losing my daughter hurt me, but I think it really affected Daryl too. He'd put his heart and soul into finding that little girl. He was devastated when he saw what had happened to her. He moved his tent away from the rest of the group, refused to talk to anyone. I think he blamed himself for it somehow. It about broke him."

It all made sense now, why Daryl was acting the way he was. Lilly realized that, in Daryl's mind, she was another Sophia. Another person too weak to survive, someone that he had to take care of. A hopeless cause. It's why Daryl had told her she was as good as dead after the first walker attack. Today, haunted by the past, when she got attacked he must have felt like he watching Sophia all over again.

Carol, oblivious to this revelation, continued. " I worried that all the progress he'd made would be lost."

"Progress?" Lilly inquired.

Carol sighed, frowning at some memory. "When Daryl first was a part of the group, he had a brother. Merle wasn't the nicest of people. He was rude, demeaning, and liked to step on people's toes. Daryl was a different person around him. He had a good heart, but Merle was always dragging him down and walking all over him."

"Where is Merle now?"

"Who knows," Carol shrugged. "He became a threat and ended up handcuffed to a roof in Atlanta. Daryl and some others went to get him, but by the time they'd gotten there, Merle had cut his hand off and vanished." Lilly couldn't believe what she was hearing - it was so morbid. It was strange to think about it being real. "Daryl still thinks Merle's out there somewhere. I think he misses his brother… But I also think he's better without him."

Lilly's heart went out to Daryl. It sounded like the man had had it rough, and that he was still struggling to find himself amidst all the chaos. Her respect for him deepened as she thought about how he took care of the group. So maybe Daryl wasn't a bucket of hugs and warm fuzzies. But he made sure that everyone was fed and watched over. He was a silent but ever steady presence that everyone needed.

And right now, he was sitting outside in the cold and preparing to pull another all-nighter.

"You really care about him, don't you?"

Carol's observation caught Lilly off guard. She hadn't really thought about it much. "Yes…" Lilly answered. "I suppose I do."

"I think you'll be good for him," Carol told her honestly.

Lilly smiled. "Well, I think I stress him out more than anything but… thanks." She glanced outside and made a decision. "I'm actually gonna go talk to him, I think," she excused herself.

Carol's lips curled into a small smile. "Goodnight, Lilly."

"Goodnight. Thank you for talking to me about… everything," Lilly told Carol sincerely. The woman laid down and shut her eyes. Feeling much better, Lilly exited the van and looked around in search of Daryl.

It didn't take long to spot the familiar pair of angel wings. He was sitting on the hood of a car, still as a statue. Hugging herself tightly to try and fend off some of the cold, Lilly weaved her way through the cars and sat next to him.

"Remember that deal we had?" Lilly referred to their exchange earlier that day.

Daryl heaved an annoyed breath. "Why don't you mind your own business for once?"

Lilly watched him quietly. He was trying to act like he didn't care, but she knew better now. She could see the strain on his face. Pulling a string off of her poncho, Lilly spoke. "Carol told me about Sophia."

"Good for you," Daryl snapped.

Lilly pushed on. "She told me how hard you tried to save her. You shouldn't blame yourself."

"Look, I'm not in the mood." Daryl got off the hood of the car and started to walk away. This was not something he wanted to talk about - ever.

Lilly hopped off the car and cut his path off, stepping in front of him. "Daryl, I'm not Sophia. I'm getting better - I'm getting used to this, and I'm learning, and maybe I felt differently last night but now I think I have a chance, okay? Don't push me away. Don't convince yourself that I'm a lost cause."

Daryl stared down at her, the moon illuminating her green eyes which had becoming uncharacteristically fierce.

"I'm not going anywhere, so you better get used to me," Lilly told him.

He wasn't sure what to say. The last thing he had expected was for Lilly to come confront him like this. She truly believed she had a chance - that was a first. Maybe she was right. Lilly was rapidly changing before his eyes, who knew what she could become?

The wind blew through her hair and he caught a wiff of the shampoo she'd used in the river that day. For some reason, the sense moved him to soften his gaze and unclench his fists. Shifting his weight and shrugging in his leather jacket, Daryl relented.

"You're gonna have to learn how to use that knife."

"Okay," Lilly agreed immediately.

"And you're gonna have to actually defend yourself sometimes."

"Wouldn't have it any other way."

Daryl shook his head at her determined expression. He'd never say it out loud, but he found it kind of… cute.

Lilly held out her hand for him to shake. "So we're good?"

Daryl slowly reached out and shook her hand. "Yeah, we're good."

Lilly gave him a true smile, one of the most genuine he'd seen. Once he let go of her hand, she took note of how cold it was. "So… our deal?"

Daryl rolled his eyes. "If I sleep, you sleep."

"Great, go wake someone up so they can take watch."

"Yes, mother."

Lilly watched him lumber off to find Rick, who had the second shift. Smiling, she was able to breath easier now that a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. As soon as Rick emerged from a truck and took his post, Lilly made her way to a nearby car and got in the back.

Daryl frowned when he saw her get in the empty car. He didn't feel good about her sleeping alone. After bidding Rick a goodnight, he walked over to the car and open the door. Lilly sat up jerkily, having been caught by surprise.

"What're ya doin' in here?"

"Sleeping," Lilly deadpanned. At Daryl's stern look, she added, "This way I won't wake anyone up if I have a night terror."

Daryl considered her for a moment before shutting the door, then opening the front one and getting in the driver's seat. "You shouldn't be in here alone."

"Daryl," Lilly tried to insist, "You need real sleep. I don't want to wake you up -"

"The deal was if I sleep, you sleep," Daryl interrupted her, leaning his seat back so that his head was over her legs. He glanced up at her. "There was nothin' about waking each other up."

Lilly had to admit, she did feel better with Daryl in the car as well. But she was still reluctant. "Are you sure?"

Daryl smiled at her concern. "Yup." A crease formed between her brows. He had the random desire to smooth it away. Resisting the urge to physically do so with his hand, Daryl tried to assure her. "If you have nightmares, I'll wake you up. And then we'll both go back to sleep once you're calm. Simple as that."

This seemed to put Lilly's mind at ease, as the crease between her brows disappeared and her eyes relaxed. "Okay." Lilly laid back and rested her head on her arm. It felt amazing to finally rest. She was already losing consciousness as she whispered, "Goodnight, Daryl."

Daryl shut his eyes, his insides warming at the sound of his name on her lips. "Goodnight, Lilly."

They were both asleep in seconds.


	7. Chapter 7

True to his word, Daryl woke a screaming Lilly several times throughout the night. She would sit up, gasping, his hand on her elbow or shoulder. No words were exchanged except for a small "thank you" and "sorry" from Lilly, followed by a "quit apologizin'" from Daryl. Then they'd both lay down again and fall straight back to sleep.

When Daryl opened his eyes to find dim sunlight streaming through the dirty windshield, he thought that he'd never felt so good in his life. Warmer and better rested than he'd been in a while, he sent a mental thank you to whatever deity existed for getting Lilly to make him sleep.

Stretching and rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Daryl turned on his side and looked at Lilly in the backseat. She was curled up, practically in fetal position, hugging her poncho around herself. Her brown hair looked almost golden in the orange sunlight, sprawled around her face like a fiery halo. She was more relaxed than what Daryl had even thought was possible. He liked her this way.

Her face was completely clear of the stress and anxiety that Daryl had thought was a permanent feature. Long eyelashes brushed the top of her cheekbones, pink lips full. In that moment, Daryl couldn't deny that she was beautiful. Almost angelic.

A knock on the window broke him out of his trance. Carol was smirking as if she knew something no one else did, giving Daryl a cheeky wave and walking away. Daryl scowled at her retreating figure - what was she so smug about?

"Lilly," Daryl mumbled, his voice crackly with sleep. She stirred a little but didn't move. Daryl reached over and smacked her leg. "Wake up, Sleeping Beauty."

Lilly frowned at him blearily, still not fully conscious. "Hm?"

"Time to wake up."

Lilly groaned and sat up, tousling her hair and yawning widely. She stretched and rubbed her face, then blinked at the orange sunrise. A small smile appeared on her lips.

Daryl squinted. "What're you smilin' at?"

Lilly's smile widened as she met his gaze. "I love sleeping," she replied simply.

With a snort, Daryl retrieved his crossbow from next to him and exited the car. Lilly followed, albeit slower, reluctant to go back out into the cold wind. Others in the group were emerging from cars and shuffling about, passing around breakfast.

T-Dog came up to them with a glum expression. "Ladies and gentlemen," he began sarcastically, "I present to a you a never before seen gourmet granola bar." T-Dog handed both Lilly and Daryl said granola bars dejectedly.

Lilly took the bar and unwrapped it, feeling similarly. Granola bars were getting old quickly. Daryl seemed to have the same thought as he frowned. "As soon as we get outta here, I'mma go huntin'."

"I wouldn't mind that one bit," T-Dog agreed readily.

As soon as they were done eating, everyone got to work on moving cars again. They'd made it a good two thirds of the way through the blockage yesterday. Rick estimated that they could get moving again by lunchtime.

Knowing what she did now, Lilly was just as eager as everyone else to leave the place behind. She never knew Sophia, she couldn't imagine how horrible it must have been to witness the child's destruction. So she didn't claim to feel as strongly about it as everyone else did. But even so, Lilly still felt the need to leave just as much - for Daryl's sake more than anything.

Fortunately, Daryl was in a much better mood than he had been yesterday. Both him and Lilly were extra chipper that morning, both revelling in the feeling of being rested for the first time in days. Today, Lilly chose to team up with Daryl rather than Glenn and Maggie. She was tired of third-wheeling the couple, and Daryl had managed to alienate himself from the rest of the group again.

They made good progress, Lilly growing brave enough to sit next to the dead bodies by the steering wheels while Daryl pushed. There were moments where she couldn't help but pause when she saw something particularly sad, but Daryl would always give her a nudge and grunt something about not looking or thinking about it, and she was able to press on.

The group worked quickly, and the closer they got to the end of the pile-up, the better their moods became. By noon, they were all joking and talking. Lilly relished in the sound of socialization, almost laughing at herself because of it. In her previous life, socialization was the last thing Lilly would have enjoyed.

Daryl wasn't one for socialization either, but even he couldn't deny that the sound of a happy family was nice to hear for once. As he approached the next car and got ready to push it, a sweet melodic sound floated his way. Daryl paused and glanced up at where Lilly was hopping into the driver's seat, humming unconsciously. With a small small smile teasing at the corners of his lips, he leaned against the back of the car and listened. The humming continued for another minute or so. He didn't recognize the tune, but he enjoyed Lilly's soft vibrato and pure tone.

The humming stopped abruptly and Lilly poked her head out of the car. Her confused gaze fell on Daryl. "What?"

Daryl shrugged and stood back up. "Nothin'."

Lilly watched him go back to the car and prepare to push it. Their eyes met and she gave him a small smile. She was so grateful for the odd friendship she'd formed with the hunter. Not only was he what she needed to learn how to survive, but she felt safer with him. More safe than she'd ever felt in that attic. And in a world where walkers were just around the corner and death was always a possibility, feeling safe was a valuable thing.

As the final car was pushed off the road, the group cheered happily. A nice pathway had been formed in the pileup that they'd be able to drive through. While some wanted to hop in their cars and go right away, Rick decided that they would eat lunch first. The group walked back to their vehicles and passed around more granola bars (much to T-Dog's dismay).

That's when Rick saw something that ruined his good mood in an instant.

Two black trucks and an RV were speeding down the road, headed right for them.

"Everyone get armed," Rick shouted. "We've got company!" The rest of the group turned and saw, their faces falling and shoulders stiffening immediately. There was a mad rush as they retrieved their guns and other weapons from their belt loops and the backs of their cars.

"Can't we just drive away?" Glenn asked.

"They've already seen us," Rick told him, gripping a pistol in his hands. "Don't wanna risk them followin' us. It's best to deal with 'em head on."

"Besides, we don't know if their dangerous yet," Lori reasoned, though from the tense look on everyone's faces, nobody agreed with her.

Daryl's keen eyes quickly sought out Lilly, finding her a few yards away. He weaved around some other people, coming to stop next to her and nudging her shoulder. The girl looked up at him with worried green eyes. "Stay close," Daryl growled quietly, taking position at her side with his crossbow.

The sight of him standing steadfast next to her eased her nerves a little, but not much. Lilly felt a little stupid gripping her knife, not sure what she'd even do with it if something bad happened. With that in mind, she unconsciously stepped a little closer to Daryl so that their arms barely brushed each stood with the rest of the group, watching the threatening vehicles draw nearer.

The tension was thick in the air, almost tangible. The group stood stiffly with wary eyes as the trucks and RV slowed to a stop. The new vehicles were dirty, coated in dust and what appeared to be walker guts. The sight of something gory dangling off one of the tires was unsettling. It didn't help when six burly men hopped out of their trucks, looking everything but trustworthy.

They were rugged, to say the least. Four of them had scraggly facial hair, some with ponytails on their heads. They were large, well muscled - save for one who stood out from the crowd with his skeletal frame and pale bald head. He was covered in tattoos, images of skulls and dragons weaving up his neck and scalp. Moving to stand in front of the frightening group, a greasy looking man with shoulder length black hair and a chained vest eyed Rick and his own group.

"Y'all stuck?" the apparent leader of the group asked, his voice reminiscent of dry sandpaper.

"We were actually just leavin'," Rick answered. He stood tall, authoritative. "The pile-up held us back for a day, but we've cleared a path."

"Well that's awfully nifty of you," the greasy man replied. "Why not turn around and find another way?"

"There's a walker herd headed this way, last we saw," Rick explained. "Didn't wanna risk getting caught."

The strangers exchanged looks, their eyes empty and soulless. Lilly tightened her grip on her knife, already sensing that they were in trouble. Others in the group seemed to sense it too.

The leader took another step forward and extended his hand to Rick. "The name's Cain - this here's Orren," he pointed to the bald, tattooed man, "Jeff, Malachi, Erik, and Alex." As they were all introduced, they didn't move a muscle to acknowledge it or give any greeting in return. Their dark eyes were all scanning over Rick and his group, like vultures watching a potential meal.

Rick didn't move to shake Cain's hand. He gave Glenn a meaningful look, as if to let him know to be ready to move, before facing Cain again. "Good to meet you. Now if you'll excuse us, we're gonna pack up and go."

Rick's group immediately started to head for their cars. Cain held up a hand and squinted at them. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa… What's the rush? Looks like you folks are doin' pretty well." He shrugged to Rick. "If you say there's a walker herd headed this way… We could use the help, ya know."

Cain's eyes fell to the gun in Rick's hand. "No, I don't think so," Rick replied stiffly. He urged Lori and Carl into his truck, ready to bolt as soon as everyone was in.

Daryl urged Lilly to Maggie and Glenn's car, but before she could move to go there, she found her path blocked by the raggedy figure of Orren. The bald man gave her a dirty smile, his crooked eyes roving up and down her body with no ounce of subtlety. "Where you goin, sweetheart?" He leaned closer to her, very much invading her personal space.

Daryl's hand clamped around Lilly's arm and pulled her behind him as he sidestepped in front of her, blocking her from Orren's leery sights. "Back off, man."

"Calm down, hick," Orren sneered. "Just gettin' to know people."

"You all seem awfully skittish," Cain observed snidely. "Why don't you take a breather. S'like you don't trust us or somethin'."

"Trust is hard to come by these days," Rick answered lowly. "Lotta bad people walking around. Robbers, murderers, rapists." He gave Cain a pointed glare. "I suggest you let us leave before things get tense."

Rick and Cain both locked each other in a standoff of sorts, glaring and trying to calculate who was more dangerous. Daryl and Orren were practically head butting. It was all Lilly could do to not grab the back of Daryl's vest like a frightened child. Lori, Carl, Beth, Herschel, and Maggie had all managed to get in vehicles and were watching out the windows worriedly. The intensity in the air was thick enough to cut through.

Everything happened in a flash. The newcomers yanked out guns and aimed at everyone. Cain took a shot at Rick, who managed to anticipate it and duck out of the way before he was hit. Chaos ensued.

Orren had moved to put a bullet in Daryl's brain, but the hunter was quick enough to knock the gun out of his hands before he could pull the trigger. He slammed his fist into the tattooed man's jaw, sending him spiraling to the ground.

A bullet whizzed past Daryl's arm and nearly hit Lilly. She felt it zip pass her neck, only centimeters away from her skin. Daryl turned and moved to cover her, but two more men came and grabbed him roughly, pulling him to the ground. Daryl tried to fight back, but they were on him faster than he could defend himself, kicking and punching. Lilly watched in horror as they managed to hold him down and one lifted up a gun.

 _No!_ They were aiming right for his head, seconds away from ending the life of her friend forever. Lilly didn't even need to think about it. Instinct took over and her body automatically leapt at the man about to shoot Daryl. He had no way of anticipating her attack, his back turned to her and focused on ending Daryl's life. Lilly's knife came crashing down into his back, right where his heart would be.

The man choked out a surprised yell. Lilly snarled, bringing the knife out of his back and burying it into him once again. There was a popping sound each time her blade broke skin and embedded itself into his lungs and ribs, blood spurting onto her hands. Lilly shoved the man off Daryl with an almost animalistic expression on her usually harmless face.

With one opponent gone, Daryl was able to fight off the second man. Lilly didn't have time to help, as a wiry pair of arms wrapped around her from behind. Orren had recovered from Daryl's punch and was back on his feet, his thin face twisted into a menacing grin. Lilly struggled against him, kicking at the air and wriggling about in his arms.

Daryl's heart skipped a beat at the sight of Lilly being dragged back towards the trucks. "Lilly!" He moved to go after her but was blocked by the barrel of a gun. "Don't even think about it," Cain hissed.

Lilly was screaming - a sound that would have made anyone's heart ache. But it seemed these men didn't have hearts, and Daryl's mind was frantic as the sound cut through his core and blurred all reason. He was going to lose her.

Orren nearly had her to the closest truck. That's when she remembered her knife. Lilly mustered all the strength she had and managed to free one arm from Orren's grasp, bringing the knife down on his hands. Orren howled in pain, dropping her at once. Lilly staggered away and didn't even bother looking back.

Just as Daryl was realizing that he was about to get shot, Rick knocked Cain off his feet, allowing the hunter time to duck out of the way. "Let's get outta here!" Rick shouted. Everyone ran for their cars and started speeding away.

Daryl was not leaving without Lilly. "Lilly!" His eyes fell on Orren, who was clutching his hand and bleeding all over the place, shouting in pain. He frantically looked around for Lilly, catching sight of her small frame barrelling straight for him.

"Daryl!" Lilly shouted. Cain was getting back up, gun in hand, and ready to kill. As soon as Lilly was close enough, Daryl grabbed her wrist and pulled her along. As they started running, he placed a large hand on her back and pushed her in front of him. They both sprinted for Daryl's motorbike. The hunter leapt on and was already starting the engine up.

"Get on!" Lilly didn't need to be asked twice, jumping on behind Daryl. He took off, Lilly nearly falling back because of the momentum. She threw her arms around his waist. Gunshots were echoing in the air, bullets whizzing past them. Lilly squeezed her eyes shut and prayed that they wouldn't get hit.

The rest of the group was already speeding away, one bullet shattering a window in Glenn and Maggie's car, others embedding themselves in the vehicle's sides. Daryl pushed his bike as fast as it would go and caught up to the rest of them. The gunshots started to grow faint, eventually stopping when the group had gotten far enough.

Lilly refused to look back, frozen in her seat and squeezing Daryl for all she was worth. She knew that if she loosened her grip at all, she would break down and panic. As the shouts of the hostile men chased after them, promising revenge and pain and regret, Lilly clenched her jaw and pressed her face into Daryl's back, breathing in the smell of leather and sweat. His solid presence, whisking her away from the danger, helped calm her racing heart.

Daryl, on the other hand, did glance back. He watched the attackers grow smaller and smaller in the distance until they were nothing but specs. Only then did his grip on the handlebars relax a little. He took a deep breath, following behind the rest of the group as they sped down the road.

Lilly's arms wrapped tightly around him was oddly soothing, and he found that he didn't mind that she had practically glued herself to his back. He was just glad to feel her there, with him, and not trapped in Orren's arms. Not shoved into a black truck and taken away to where Heaven knew what would be done to her. He thanked his lucky stars that she had that knife, and that she'd been able to use it.

They didn't slow down for a good hour, constantly looking back to see if Cain and his men were following them. Rick felt off about the whole thing. They had escaped with their lives, but something told him that it wasn't over.

…

Once the road had reached a section of forest, Rick found a side road and led the parade down it. They drove in the shadows for some time, happy to be back under the shelter of the trees. When they finally pulled to a stop, everyone had a wary look to them, their eyes wide and faces pale as the adrenaline wore off.

Daryl swung himself over the bike and got off, Lilly following with watery legs. She nearly fell right there, but Daryl caught her elbow. "You alright?"

Lilly was trembling from head to toe, and not because of the cold. She could barely even blink without her heart jumping. She had been so close to… Lilly didn't even want to imagine it. The sensation of Orren gripping her tightly still tingled on her body, the ghost of the danger she'd been in haunting her. Furthermore, Lilly was starting to process the things she had done to escape said danger with her friends. Her eyes fell on her hands, noticing the blood on them for the first time. Lilly couldn't meet Daryl's eyes, her gaze glued to the stains on her skin. When she spoke, her voice was small and on the edge of breaking. "I… I think I killed someone."

Before Daryl could respond, Rick called out. "Is everyone okay?" People mumbled responses of affirmation. He weaved through the group, checking for himself, touching people's shoulders to assure himself that they were alright. Rick's eyes fell on Lilly, who was stock still next to Daryl and his bike, looking ready to throw up. He locked eyes with Daryl who gave him a nod, letting Rick know that he'd take care of her.

Flashes of when she'd stabbed Daryl's would-be murderer in the back rotated through Lilly's head, the slurpy popping sound echoing around her skull and the image of red blood staining her eyes. She hadn't thought about it in the moment. All she'd been able to think was that Daryl was going to die if she didn't do something to stop it.

Lilly's knife had been clutched in her delicate hands the whole time, and she now dropped it with disgust. It clattered to the ground and glinted up at her mockingly. Lilly rubbed her hands on her pants, wanting to cry when it only seemed to increase the blood stains on her person.

Daryl's hands clasped around hers, stopping their frantic attempt to cleanse themselves. "Here." He fished a water bottle out of the saddlebag on his motorcycle and opened it, pouring some water over Lilly's hands. Then he took the rag from his back pocket and gently started wiping the blood off. Lilly watched numbly, her eyes welling up.

"You did what you had to do," Daryl told her quietly.

"I took a life," Lilly whispered. "I did something only God should be allowed to do…"

"If you didn't kill him, others would have died," Daryl said.

Lilly remembered the feeling of absolute horror when she'd seen Daryl moments away from death. She shuddered. "I couldn't let you… I had to stop him before…" Lilly stuttered, struggling to form the words for what she was feeling. Her round green eyes met Daryl's. "I need you here, Daryl." The words didn't feel adequate, but Daryl seemed to understand anyway. He was the only thing keeping her from breaking down. Though they'd only known each other for about six days, she depended on him with every fiber of her being.

Daryl dropped his gaze back down to her hands and finished scrubbing the blood away. "I'm glad you remembered to use that knife this time," he remarked, giving her a rare smirk. It was his way of thanking her for saving him from getting shot, and also his way of expressing that he was glad Orren hadn't succeeded in taking her. Lilly was perceptive enough to understand this.

She returned Daryl's smirk shakily. "Me too." Then she took a deep breath, her heart finally starting to calm down. "I only have to save your life one more time and then we can be even," Lilly joked wryly.

Daryl chuckled, "Keep dreamin', princess."

Once everyone had gathered their bearings, they got back in their vehicles and continued deeper into the forest. Lilly was a little reluctant to go back into Maggie and Glenn's car, but she figured Daryl wanted the space.

Little did she know, Daryl was actually missing the feeling of her pressed against his back. He couldn't get the image of Orren dragging her away out of his mind. To assure himself that she was still there and safe, he kept driving his bike next to Glenn and Maggie's car to see her sitting in the back. Since one of the windows was shattered, the wind came through and blew her hair around her face. She caught him staring a few times, but merely gave him a tired smile before leaning her head back and closing her eyes.

…

Back by the pile-up, Cain and his men were busy regrouping, tending to their wounds. Cain observed his injured men with a scowl. Twelve groups. Over the months, they'd managed to attack, kill, plunder, and ravage twelve different groups of survivors. It was how they survived, and so far it had been easy for them to do - even entertaining. So how on earth had this group managed to escape?

Patience was running thin. After leaving a starving girl in a small town last week, the men were growing restless and hungry. When they'd seen this group, rich with supplies and resources, they'd been thrilled with their luck. Now, they were bruised and angry.

A couple feet away, Orren was sitting against a car and nursing his bloody hand. He groaned in pain, pressing a dirty cloth to the injured limb. Cain smacked him in the back of the head. "Quit whinin'. It's your own fault for letting a tiny girl get the best of you."

"She cut my fingers off!" Orren exclaimed, removing the cloth to reveal that his left pinky and ring finger had been severed into nothing more than a pair of uneven nubs. "I'm gonna make her wish she didn't exist, I tell you!"

The bald man was haunted by that girl's green eyes, so bright and innocent - and yet she'd managed to maim his hand. Feeling the throbbing pulse of blood and pain in his nerves, Orren could feel the beginnings of an obsession forming. Nobody did something like this to him and got away with it. Before the apocalypse had begun, Orren had been nothing but a criminal in jail, sentenced to life imprisonment for brutally torturing and murdering his girlfriend. Then when the world crashed and burned, the guards were bitten or killed and he was given an opportunity to escape. In some sick, twisted way, Orren viewed the apocalypse as his salvation. It was like God had allowed him to unleash his full potential, had placed him in a world where he finally could flourish in all his crooked glory. And now, this green eyed little minx had taken both his fingers and his pride. Orren would not allow her to get away with it. He'd rip that light and purity from her countenance and reduce her to nothing if it was the last thing he did.

"We're not letting them get away," Orren sneered, veins sticking out on his head angrily.

Cain glared at the road down which the group had escaped. He couldn't blame Orren for his frustration. The entire clan was shocked that they had been bested by a group of weak nobody's. Honestly, the only real fighters in the group had been the leader, Rick, and the guy with crossbow. The mousy brunette girl had caused more damage than expected, but Cain could tell she'd be easy to break. Overall, they had all gotten lucky and fled like cowards.

It didn't matter, though. His group was down to five men. They'd lost this round. But as he eyed the cold corpse of Alex lying on the ground, a new fire ignited amongst the group. They wouldn't be bested by a pack of nobody's.

Nudging the still body of Alex with his foot, Cain grimaced. The man was covered in stab wounds on his back and had bled out quickly, now cold and lifeless. _Couldn't even get the brain_ , Cain observed disdainfully. He unsheathed a knife from his belt and knelt down, lifting Alex's head by the hair and taking in the man's dull eyes.

Alex's body started to twitch, a rattling gurgle escaping his mouth. He had transitioned into a walker quickly. Cain scowled at his reanimated group member, remembering the man's recklessness and tendency to constantly get drunk. "I never liked you anyway," he told the walker bluntly, before planting his knife in Alex's skull.

When Alex's body stopped twitching, Cain slid his knife back out and wiped the blood on his tattered jeans. He tucked it back in his belt and looked around at his group. They watched, waiting for instruction, their eyes bloodthirsty.

"Search the cars," he told them, referring to the variety of vehicles scattered around the road. "Grab what you can. We'll rest here tonight."

"Even with the walker heard coming?" Jeff inquired, adjusting the beanie on his small head.

"If we stay in the cars and stay quiet, they'll pass right by us," Cain answered. Then he nudged Alex's corpse with the toe of his boot. "If worse comes to worse, we'll use Alex as a distraction."

"And Rick and his group?" Malachi implored, biting at his lip ring. They were clearly anxious to get payback.

Cain gave him a dark grin. "Oh, don't worry about them. They can't hide forever." He ran his tongue across his yellow teeth, already imagining what hurt they could cause. "We'll find them, and when we do, they'll wish they had never been born."


	8. Chapter 8

That night, Rick and his group settled a good mile off the road in a thick nest of trees. They'd taken care to keep their distance from the road, even going as far as to cover their vehicles in leaves and branches. A new paranoia had been born after the day's events with Cain and his group. Tensions were high, everyone constantly glancing over their shoulder and keeping a hand near their weapons.

While they got to work setting up tents in a tight circle, Lilly went about hanging cans around the perimeter. To her pleasant surprise, Daryl accompanied her this time. While she tied the cords around tree's, he stood sentry by her side with his crossbow, keen eyes peeled for even the slightest movement in the trees.

Lilly glanced up at him, a little amused by the intense way he was staring at the forest, as if it was going to bite him. "Tree's haven't blinked yet?"

Daryl tore his eyes away from the forest to frown at her. "What?"

"It's like you're trying to have a staring contest with the forest," Lilly told him, the corner of her lip lifting a little.

"Laugh it up now," Daryl grumbled darkly. "Can't let our guard down - not after we've just made a group of murderer's real angry."

That sobered Lilly up quickly. Her smirk fell and she bit her lip, forcing herself to concentrate on the knot she was tying. She didn't want to think about the trouble her and the rest of the group had gotten into. If they ever came across Cain and his men again, who knew what would be done to them?

The memory of Orren's sickly gaze on her body sent an involuntary shudder up Lilly's spine. What would have happened if she hadn't managed to escape? If he'd managed to get her in that truck, the rest of his group hopping in, driving away with her to who knows where? From the way Orren had practically undressed her with his eyes, she knew the men's intentions were nothing good. And now that she had somehow managed to kill one of their men, who knew what would become of her should they ever find her?

Worse, what would become of the rest of the group? The image of that gun aimed right at Daryl's head flashed before Lilly's eyes with a jolt. If Cain and his men ever found Rick and the rest of the group, Lilly already knew that Daryl would put himself right between them and harm's way. Even if the man was quiet and didn't socialize much with the others, it was clear to see that'd he'd protect the group with his last breath. Lilly could already see it - Daryl defending his group and Cain planting a bullet in his head, sending him falling to the ground in a splash of blood. Daryl's blue eyes would look up at the sky blankly, his life seeping out in a puddle of red under him. The idea sent rocks down her stomach and left her chest hollow and gaping.

"Lilly," Daryl's voice brought her out of her horrific thoughts with start. She looked up at him, her green eyes round as saucers, almost madly searching for reassurance. His brow furrowed at her paling face and he sighed. Daryl didn't have to ask, he already knew she was scared about the murderer's they had after them. Heck, he was nervous too. He wanted to comfort her, but he wasn't sure he could. Daryl wasn't one for hugs or false words of security - that was for people like Carol, or Beth, or even Maggie.

So he did the best thing he could. "You have your knife with ya'?"

"Hm?" Lilly was still trying to shake off the yucky visions going through her head. "Oh - yeah. Why?"

Daryl nudged her out of the way gently and finished the knot she'd been tying. Then he lightly touched her shoulder blade with the tips of his fingers and urged her to follow him. "We're goin' hunting."

He stepped in front of Lilly and started trudging away from camp. Lilly stared after him in surprise. He was actually going to let her go hunting with him? Biting back a smile, Lilly unsheathed her knife and went after him, keeping her eyes on the pair of angel wings weaving through the trees.

They picked their way through the dry foliage in silence. Leaves and twigs crunched under Lilly's tattered boots. The air was dry, its frosty temperature turning the tip of her nose pink. Her green eyes never left Daryl's back. He was moving almost gracefully, somehow managing to never make a sound despite his large stature. It was like watching a wild animal in its natural habitat. Though his muscles were tense and his eyes ever watchful, Daryl was completely relaxed in his element.

Daryl kept his ears open to make sure Lilly was still with him. He was surprised when he struggled to hear evidence of her presence. Most people practically crashed through the forest, their footsteps loud enough to hear from a distance, even when they thought they were being quiet. Lilly was different, her movements so subtle and quiet that he found himself wondering if she was even there and glancing back to find her in the corner of his eye.

Lilly nearly ran into Daryl's back when he stopped abruptly with a raised hand. The hunter knelt on the floor, squinting intently at something. Lilly peered over his shoulder but couldn't tell what he was looking at. Sensing the need for quiet, she chose not to ask verbally and instead tapped his shoulder. When he looked up at her, she tilted her head questioningly.

"Deer," Daryl whispered in response. "Just came through here." That meant it was close. Raising a finger to his lips, Daryl slowly stood up and headed to the right, stepping carefully over a fallen tree. Lilly followed, now putting more energy into moving silently. The extra effort was enough to make Daryl pause to see if she was even following him. He couldn't help but raise his eyebrows to himself, impressed. So maybe she was a wimp when it came to fighting, but she was phenomenal at keeping herself unnoticed when she wanted to. With some muscle and training, he was starting to realize her potential to be deadly one day.

They crept through the forest for almost a half hour. Lilly enjoyed the light adrenaline pumping through her veins. It was different from the fear or stress that had ignited her weak survival instincts in the past. There was something oddly therapeutic about working toward a goal, chasing softly after the deer they had yet to find. She found that it was almost an art, dancing through the forest with light steps and careful movements.

Something shuffled the foliage a few yards away. Both Daryl and Lilly froze, watching the spot with wide eyes. Lilly squinted through the thickly weaved branches, catching a sight of golden brown. Her eyes lit up with excitement, indicating a small hand in the direction and nodding to Daryl. His mouth twitched and he nodded back, his blue eyes looking brighter.

They both waited for a second, watching the deer emerge from behind a cluster of bushes. Its tiny hooves picked delicately over the crusty fallen leaves, its long neck turning in their direction and aiming a pair of giant brown eyes right at them. It's large ears were pricked high, listening for any sign of a threat. No doubt, the deer was jumpy with human corpses wandering around. Sunlight streamed between the tree branches and illuminated the deer's golden coat. A crown of antlers adorned its head. It was so close, lean muscles tensed to flee at the slightest wrong move. The beautiful animal took Lilly's breath away - she was sorry that they had to kill it.

Daryl slowly raised his crossbow. He levelled his eyes with the weapon, peering at the deer from the tip of his arrow. This was going to be a straight shot for the kill. They'd be able to feed the group for a good two weeks. Pointing the tip straight at the deer's head, Daryl exhaled a long breath, his fingers twitching in anticipation. They moved to pull the trigger.

A long, drawn out gag cut through the air. With a kick of its hooves and a rustle of leaves, the deer vanished. Daryl dropped his aim and swore loudly.

A walker came stumbling in, stepping over the deer's tracks and moaning lowly. Lilly stumbled back behind Daryl with a gasp. Daryl rolled his eyes and lifted his crossbow again, ready to quickly immobilize the moving corpse. Before he could aim, the walker tripped over a thick fallen branch and practically face planted. Daryl glared at the pathetic sight with disdain. "Idiot."

He considered the gruesome creature, then glanced back at Lilly. She was watching it with concern, even though the walker was stuck on the floor and it'd take some time to get back up. Daryl held back a smirk and stepped out from between her and the walker. Lilly looked at him worriedly, brows furrowed, her mouth open to ask what he was doing.

"Why don't you take care of this one," Daryl suggested, gesturing to the incapacitated walker.

Lilly gaped at him incredulously. "Me?"

"No, the gentleman in blue behind ya'." Daryl huffed sarcastically. "See anyone else around here?"

Lilly's eyes flickered between him and the walker. She shifted her weight from foot to foot. "Oh… um…" What she wanted to do was decline, but from the way Daryl was looking at her she already knew that he wouldn't let her avoid the inevitable. _Progress_ , she chided to herself, just as she had when she'd been skinning the squirrel earlier that week. Squaring her shoulders and adjusting her knife in her grip, Lilly nodded. "Okay."

Under Daryl's watchful gaze, Lilly turned to the walker and carefully approached it. It had once been a man, a camper judging from his stained clothes and the torn backpack still strapped to his back. The walker's decaying hands slid along the floor and greedily reached for Lilly, clasping and unclasping it's fingers like a petulant child. Lilly stopped just short of its reach. The walker's dead eyes drank in the sight of her feet - the fact that it didn't acknowledge her face helped show that it was far from human.

Lilly crouched down a little and raised her knife. Her fist shook a little, but she swallowed her revulsion back and closed her eyes. The walker's gurgles and rasps scraped at her hearing painfully like nails on a chalkboard. It was time to end this monster's misery and let the memory of this man's life go.

 _I can do this_.

When Lilly opened her eyes again, they were steely and determined. With no further hesitation, Lilly clenched her teeth and swung the knife down into the walker's head. The blade went in with a crunch. The walker went still, its hands falling limply to the ground and its face ducking into the dirt. Lilly let out a breath and pulled the knife back out, wincing when the walker's head moved limply as she did so. She stepped back from the body and looked back at Daryl, suddenly excited in spite of her disgust.

Daryl's eyes twinkled approvingly. "You could still be faster," he critiqued, stepping to the side of the body and gesturing for her to follow.

Lilly's lips curled into a small smile despite Daryl's critique. She knew he was pleased, even if he never said it. Her steps paused next to the corpse, but before she could reflect on the fact that it was a human body, Daryl was already ducking back around the tree's and leaving. With a little respectful nod to the dead walker, Lilly hurried after him.

"So now what?" she asked as she hopped over a bush to catch up to Daryl. "We keep chasing the deer?"

"Nah," Daryl sighed, his voice tight with frustration. "It'd take us days to find it again. He's long gone. The sun's starting to go down, we should head back."

Lilly was disappointed that they hadn't been able to hunt anything down, but when she looked up and saw the pale sky, she knew he was right. The pair headed back to camp, racing the sun as it sunk into the horizon. The temperature began to drop, and Lilly's cold hands ached for the fire that she hoped was waiting for them back at camp.

About half way there, Daryl stopped. This time, Lilly really did run into his back. She bounced off of him like he was a solid brick wall. "Oof! Sorry," she mumbled, trailing off when she saw that Daryl was looking at the tree's. She looked around too, all she could see was webs of tree branches hanging over them, twisting and turning and tangling themselves into a thin canopy.

In the blink of an eye, Daryl had lifted his crossbow and fired an arrow, the speed of his movements making Lilly jump. Something fell from the tree's with a soft thud.

Daryl moved to where the mystery object had fallen, crouching down and retrieving a dead squirrel. His arrow was sticking neatly out of its head. Lilly's eyes widened and her mouth opened into an astonished smile. She walked over to Daryl, watching him take the arrow out and shook her head.

"How did you even see that?" Lilly asked him with awe.

Daryl paused at the appraising look she was giving him, looking at him like he was the most wonderful human being on the planet. He felt his ears go hot and ducked his head, shrugging nonchalantly. "Just used my eyes."

"You're amazing, Daryl," Lilly told him with a small chuckle.

Daryl's cheeks turned pink, so subtly that she didn't even notice it. The hunter ducked his head and shrugged again, extremely uncomfortable with the blatant compliment. "Yeah, whatever." He tossed the squirrel Lilly's way, nearly slapping her face with its limp little body. "Here, you get to skin it when we get back."

Lilly almost dropped the squirrel, but managed to clasp her hands around its tail. She wrinkled her nose but didn't back out. "Okay."

Her gaze rose from the squirrel and up to Daryl's face. He shifted awkwardly, feeling pinned down by the emerald pools that were directed at him. "Daryl…" Lilly's voice was soft and sincere. She went still, fixing him with a truly honest expression. "Thank you. For everything."

Everything included… well, _everything_. Finding her in that attic, convincing her to come with him and the rest of the group. Saving her life multiple times. Somehow finding the patience to deal with her weakness, showing her that she had to get stronger. Not letting her make excuses. Teaching her how to survive. Making her feel safe. Being there, existing near her.

The weight of her words was communicated to Daryl. He didn't know what to say - he'd only done what any decent human would do. Maybe it had been a bit of a stretch from his comfort zone, but it wasn't like he was miserable as he watched over her. If anything, he felt better when he could see Lilly safe and improving. It made him feel like he was redeeming himself, finally making up for not finding Sophia in time. In a way, Lilly was helping him start over.

But Daryl Dixon didn't talk about feelings. He didn't even know _how_. So rather than express this to her, he kept quiet and settled for awkwardly fidgeting with his crossbow. Lilly's innocent presence was almost overwhelming at times like this. Too much exposure, and Daryl feared that he would somehow drown in it. He couldn't face her for long, not when she was so open and practically glowing with goodness.

Daryl mentally grimaced at that. _Glowing? Ugh._ Since when had he even had the capacity to possess such ideas? _What is this girl doing to me?_

Snapping himself out of his strange thoughts, Daryl jerked his head in the direction of camp. "C'mon. It's almost dark." He turned at continued on through the forest, expertly weaving his way through the maze of trees.

And as always, Lilly followed.

…..

Once they got back to camp, it was like the sense of security Lilly had felt was popped like a bubble. Rick was pacing around like a caged animal, his wild eyes flinching at every shadow that moved. Lori was practically holding Carl hostage, her face tense and her hands constantly seeking assurance that her son was nearby and safe. Even Herschel, who always seemed peaceful, was wary and speaking in low, nervous tones to Beth.

During their little hunting trip, Lilly had nearly forgotten about Cain and his men, and the threat they posed. Daryl had managed to bring her into a place of serenity, where her only concerns had been stepping quietly and breathing in nature. Even with her first walker kill, she had felt at peace while hunting with Daryl.

Now, the stress was back with a vengeance. Glenn had become the embodiment of anxiety, his posture stiff and his face strained. He was the first to see Daryl and Lilly's return, and marched up to them with clenched fists. "Where have you been?"

"Hunting," Daryl replied. Lilly held up the dead squirrel as if to claim witness to the event. Glenn squinted at the limp rodent and ran a hand through his hair like an angsty teenager.

"Care to let someone know next time?" he grumbled. "I didn't know where you'd gone."

"Relax, Chinaman," Daryl huffed.

"I'm Korean!" Glenn snapped between clenched teeth.

Daryl opened his mouth to say more, probably something about how Glenn wasn't his mother, but Lilly cut him off. "You look really stressed, Glenn," she said gently. "Why don't you sit down? I'll get this squirrel taken care of and then we can eat, yeah?"

Both Daryl and Glenn blinked at her nurturing tone, having not heard anything like it before. Glenn hesitated then let out a long breath. "Yeah, okay. But stay in the camp."

"Of course," Lilly replied. Satisfied, Glenn walked away and ducked into his and Maggie's tent. Lilly turned to Daryl, who was regarding her oddly, and dangled the squirrel in front of him. "Do you trust me to do it properly or…?"

Daryl supposed that he could have gone to talk with Rick about security, but the option was rather unappealing. On the other hand, Lilly was standing before him with a pleasant expression, his latest kill hanging from her fingers. "No way do I trust you," he replied with a scoff. "You've only done it once and you were squealing like a baby the whole time."

"I don't squeal," Lilly defended herself.

"No, you do," Daryl retorted. Before Lilly could open her mouth to continue the banter, he had already plopped down on the ground next to a slowly growing fire that Carol had started. He patted the ground next to him. "Now get skinnin'."

Having seen the things she'd seen in the past few days, skinning and gutting the squirrel was considerably easier this time. The cracking and snapping of ligaments and bones, the slimy feel of innards and blood, and the sight of the pink rodent sprawled out and open in front of her still made her uncomfortable, but she was able to handle it without making too many faces. She also took special care not to 'squeal', as Daryl put it, or make any sounds in reaction to the nasty sight before her.

Daryl watched her work. The orange flames from the camp fire cast a warm glow on her normally cold, pale face, giving the illusion that she was much healthier than she actually was. Her long eyelashes cast shadows over her cheekbones. As Daryl watched her wipe squirrel blood on the rag he'd offered her, he found himself impressed.

Lilly was progressing quickly. Granted, the cruel world of the walking dead didn't allow her much of a choice, but all things considered, she was doing decently. In a little less than a week, Lilly had transitioned from a frightened soul wasting away in an attic to a young woman fighting to live. She was naive, dependent, and easily spooked, but if she continued in the direction she was headed, she'd eventually be able to hold her own.

Thanks to the fire, the group was able to cook canned stew that had been retrieved from Lilly's attic, along with chunks of squirrel. Everyone huddled around the fire tightly, desperately soaking in its warmth as the temperature continued to drop. Lilly felt odd when she wasn't the only one to jump at the slightest breeze, for once not being the only person on edge as it got dark.

"So what do we do now?" Glenn asked around a mouthful of stew.

"Same as always," Rick replied. "We keep moving. Just have to be a little more careful from now on."

"And if they find us?" Glenn pressed. "Shouldn't we have some sort of plan?"

Rick thought for a moment, frowning at the idea of being caught. He swallowed his food and set his empty can on the ground. "Plan is simple. Don't get caught. And if something happens, you do what you have to to survive."

"What if -" Carol began, but Rick cut her off.

"Look, we can chase around in circles all night with 'what if's'," the ex-cop told everyone sternly. "But the fact is, I don't know what's gonna happen. None of us do. The best we can do for now is be prepared, be cautious, and stay safe. The same thing we've always done. If something bad happens, I trust that we'll all do the best we can to deal with it."

Nobody looked assured by his words, thousands of loose ends, fears, and questions buzzing about in the air. Rick looked around at their disheartened expressions and sighed. He looked exhausted, bearing the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"I wish I could say it's all gonna be okay. I wish I could tell you all that we're completely safe. But I can't lie. Anything could happen to any one of us. All I can promise you is that I will do everything in my power to protect this group, and I trust that you will too. And if we stick together and do our best, I know we can make it. Okay?"

Mumbled responses of affirmation came back to him quietly. Still anxious, but slightly rejuvenated, the group finished dinner and went to sleep. Watches were set, with Rick taking the first shift. Daryl had the third one.

Lilly hesitated to go into a tent with Carol. Her and Daryl had found a great solution the night before, sleeping in a car with him willing to wake her up and go back to sleep multiple times throughout the night. But they didn't have cars tonight. Just tents. And Lilly didn't feel comfortable with making Carol deal with her and her night terror screaming, even if the woman was willing to do it. The whole issue was embarrassing for Lilly, and the only person she felt okay around was Daryl.

Sensing her dilemma, Daryl had an idea, though he hesitated to suggest it. He thought about how wonderful it had been to sleep in the car near Lilly the night before - though he'd never tell anyone, her being there seemed to have chased away his nightmares. Seeing as he didn't have to take watch until third shift, he wouldn't mind getting some real sleep again. Mentally kicking himself, the hunter decided to get over himself and approached Lilly.

Tapping her on the shoulder from behind, he shuffled his feet when she turned to look at him. "You could… uh, sleep in my tent if you need to… Ya know, so I can wake you up if you scream and all that." Why was it so hard to make the stupid offer? It wasn't like he was asking a girl to move in with him or something.

Lilly smiled in relief as soon as he'd made the suggestion, her shoulders slumping like a weight had been taken off them. "That would actually be really great. You don't mind, do you?"

"You think I would have offered if I did mind?" Daryl retorted, quickly covering his awkwardness with a rough exterior again.

Lilly smiled warmly. "Thank you. I know it's just sleep but… It means a lot." She nodded to where Carol was organizing her tent. "Let me just get my stuff real quick."

Practically squirming with discomfort, Daryl bit at the corner of his thumb and nodded towards his tent. "Whatever, princess." With that, he ducked into his tent, leaving Lilly sighing with relief.

Feeling lighter, she turned on her heel and went to retrieve her duffel bag and blanket from Carol's tent. The woman frowned inquisitively. Lilly paused, suddenly feeling her face go warm as she realized what it must look like. "Oh, I, uh - Daryl and I have a… a deal, I guess - um, he wakes me up if I start screaming and stuff… so I'm sleeping in his tent tonight." Carol raised her eyebrows and smirked a little. Lilly squirmed under the woman's teasing gaze. "It's not like… It isn't anything like that - if you're thinking - you know… We're just friends."

"I know," Carol assured her with a shrug. "I think it's good. For both of you."

Lilly wasn't sure how to respond to that. So rather than searching for the right thing to say, she avoided responding at all and simply gave Carol an awkward nod. "Okay… well, um, goodnight."

"Goodnight Lilly."

Lilly gathered her things in her arms and walked over to Daryl's, her cheeks burning when she felt curious gazes following her. Then she frowned to herself. What was she so embarrassed about? They had to have noticed the pair's growing friendship by now - what with Lilly going hunting with him and the usually quiet Daryl talking to her more than he had with anyone else. _Who cares what they think, anyway?_ Shrugging off the awkwardness, Lilly ducked into the tent and away from the questioning looks.

Carol smiled at the sight, happy to see the friendship that had formed between the hunter and the attic girl.

Inside the tent, Daryl was sitting with his crossbow and checking over his arrows to make sure they were all usable. He paused when Lilly came in and peered around the tent. "You gonna stand there all night?" he grunted.

Lilly cleared her throat and moved to the opposite side of the tent, rolling her sleeping bag out quietly. She didn't bother changing into sleeping clothes - it would have made the situation awkward for both her and Daryl, and she was fine with what she was wearing anyway. So setting her duffel bag by her feet, Lilly took off her shoes and slid into her sleeping bag, then rolled to her side so she was facing Daryl. He was still picking at his arrows, though it was so dark that Lilly wondered if he was even looking at them.

"Aren't you going to go to sleep?" she asked quietly.

Daryl huffed and set his arrows aside. "Mind your own business." Nevertheless, he slid into his own sleeping back, turning himself so that his back was to Lilly.

Lilly bit her lip and rolled so that her back was to him too. She hugged her sleeping bag tighter, curling herself into a little ball to better retain warmth. Her eyes closed heavily, eager for sleep. "Goodnight, Daryl," Lilly breathed before drifting off.

A moment later, Daryl's deep voice resonated softly in the darkness. "Goodnight, Lilly." He closed his eyes and promptly drifted off as well. With the help of Lily's quiet presence in the corner of the tent, his sleep was clear of nightmares.


	9. Chapter 9

Daryl awoke to the sound of whimpering. He closed his eyes with a sigh. Lilly's night terrors were acting up again. He blinked up at the dark ceiling of the tent while he gathered his thoughts, sitting up when Lilly's cries started to increase. Daryl squinted at the corner of the tent, his eyes adjusting to the darkness. Lilly had somehow managed to squeeze herself as deeply into the corner as she could go and had curled in on herself so that she was as small as possible. Her back was to him, her shoulder rising and falling rapidly with her shallow breaths. Slipping out of his sleeping bag, Daryl moved to crawl over to her and wake her up.

"No…" Lilly moaned, causing Daryl to pause with a frown. He hadn't heard her talk before. Lilly continued, "No, no, no, please… " Her plea was so quiet and desperate it was enough to break someone's heart.

Lilly thrashed out suddenly with a cry and her face turned towards him, twisted into an expression of agony. "Don't! Please, please, wait, don't…" Daryl started crawling towards her carefully. Just as he reached out to touch her shoulder, Lilly sobbed. "Just take what you want and leave!"

He'd heard enough. "Lilly," Daryl whispered. "Lilly, wake up." His hand hovered over her shoulder for a split second before touching her lightly. Lilly thrashed out again and bat his hand away.

"Stop! _Stop_!" she started to scream. The shrill sound was muffled as Daryl quickly clamped a hand over her mouth to keep her quiet. He knew how horrified she would be if she woke the group up. Even if Daryl didn't care about that, he made the effort to protect her dignity anyway.

Lilly clawed at his hand, leaving scratches up his arms. "Lilly, wake up!" Daryl hissed. "Knock it off now!" The girl was deaf to him, trapped in whatever horror was happening in her mind. When Lilly continued to fight him, Daryl grunted and wrapped his other arm around her torso, yanking her up roughly against his chest and pinning her arms down. Lilly squirmed in his iron grip, but her weak stature was helpless against Daryl's strength.

"Lilly," Daryl spoke into her ear, a rare feeling of helplessness creeping into his chest. She was usually awake by now. All it took was a shake of the shoulder and she'd normally sit right up.

Lilly screamed into his hand. He felt a hot tear drip onto his fingers and held her tighter. "C'mon Lilly," Daryl pleaded into her hair. "You've gotta wake up." The hunter was getting desperate, unconsciously starting to rock her back and forth. Lilly continued to squirm. He didn't know what to do. Daryl swore. "Lilly, stop wailing already, you're safe! You're safe, do ya' hear me?" He shook her slightly in his arms, praying to every deity that might exist that she would wake up, that he wouldn't have to hear her cries anymore. "I've got you, you're safe!"

Lilly went stiff against him and gasped. Daryl relaxed his grip on her immediately, allowing her to fall limp. Eerily silent, save for the heavy gasps inflating her lungs, Lilly managed to hold herself up. She took shaky breaths, her whole body quivering, her back to Daryl.

"Lilly? You awake?" Daryl asked, his muscles still tense.

The girl whirled around and faced him with wide eyes. As her sight adjusted to the darkness, she peered at his face. "Daryl?"

"Right here," Daryl responded quietly. He felt his whole body relax with an exhale.

"Ugh, I'm sorry," Lilly muttered quietly, her voice scratchy and raw from screaming and crying. She wiped at her face with shaky hands, clearing her cold skin of sweat and tears. She felt exhausted. Trying to stretch out the tremors running up and down her body, Lilly huffed. "Sheesh, must've been a bad one."

"You're tellin' me," Daryl responded grimly. That was the worst he'd ever seen, and he was not eager to witness it again. "Couldn't wake you up for nothin'."

"I'm sorry," Lilly apologized sincerely, her eyebrows rising in concern. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Nah, you're not that tough," Daryl assured her with a scoff. In the darkness, he traced the scratches she'd left on his arms, hoping they'd vanish by the time the sun came up. She didn't need to see that. "You're tiny fists would feel like nothing more than the wind on my face, even if you tried," he joked.

"Psh," Lilly rolled her eyes. "I could beat you to a pulp if I wanted." Her voice was ascending from that raw tone into one of teasing.

Daryl shook his head at her with a smirk. "Keep tellin' yourself that."

They both sat in silence, their hearts slowing down and resuming a normal pace. The sound of wind rustling through the dry trees was soothing to their ears. Daryl watched her dark silhouette, his jaw unclenching as he saw her start to relax.

Lilly jumped violently when the tent was zipped open. Glenn poked his head in, unaware of what had just happened. "Daryl," he said with a yawn, his voice was low and tired. "S'your turn."

"Be out in a sec," Daryl affirmed. Glenn nodded tiredly and left for his tent, eager to sleep. Daryl turned back to Lilly. "You good?"

"Yeah," Lilly told him. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it." The hunter stretched and retrieved his crossbow, slowly standing up and exiting the tent. When he got outside, breathing in the chilly night air, he turned to zip the tent back up.

"Wait." Lilly's small voice stopped him. He heard her rustling about in the tent before emerging with a blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders. She stepped out and zipped the tent back up. "Mind if I join you?"

Daryl shrugged indifferently and moved out of the circle of tents, taking post at a fallen tree on the edge of camp. Lilly sat down on the trunk next to him silently. For the next hour, they watched the shadows in silence. Both were wrapped deeply in layers of thoughts.

Illuminated by the moonlight, Daryl was able to keep a watch on Lilly from the corner of his eye. Her head kept drooping, but then she'd give it a small shake and sit back up. After watching this happen almost a dozen times, Daryl had had enough. "You should go back to sleep."

"It'll be morning soon anyway," Lilly reasoned, just as Daryl had several nights ago on the porch of the rickety farmhouse they'd stayed at.

Unconvinced, he continued to watch her. She was on the brink of nodding off. When a particularly icy breeze blew through their bones, Lilly sat up straight as a board and blinked the droopiness from her eyes.

"Seriously," Daryl said a few minutes later. "Go back to sleep."

Lilly shook her head adamantly. "I'll just scream again. And you're out here so you might not be able to wake me up before I scare the whole group awake."

Daryl pressed his lips together disapprovingly. He knew she was making excuses. The question was why? When Lilly shivered a little - Daryl realized it wasn't from the cold.

"You were talkin' in your sleep," he started slowly.

"Oh?" Lilly furrowed her brow. "What'd I say?"

"Nothin' much," Daryl told her honestly. "Just a lot of 'no''s and 'please stop''s." He remembered the one of the last things he'd heard her say before she'd woken up. "Something like 'take what you want and leave,' I think."

Lilly tensed at that last bit, her eyes going cold. Fiddling with the blanket clutched between her fingers, Lilly's shoulders sagged. "Huh."

The reaction piqued Daryl's curiosity. He wasn't usually super nosy, but it was late and he figured why not. "What were you dreamin' about?"

Lilly bit her lip and didn't speak for a long time. Daryl wasn't sure she was going to answer and looked back out at the forest. He started to give up and allow his mind to wander elsewhere when she finally spoke up. "I don't know."

The answer irked Daryl a little. Did she not trust him? Had he not done enough for her to let him in?

Then again, it wasn't like Daryl was very open with people. He kept his walls built tall and nigh impenetrable, on lock and key so that nobody would ever have access to him. It was a defense mechanism, developed over years of abuse and hurt. Heaven forbid anyone see his vulnerability, his heart of gold and his longing for acceptance. Before the walkers, Daryl had been nothing but a scared little redneck boy with a broken home. He'd die before he let anybody see that side of him.

Yet there Lilly was, sitting beside him, an open book. From the very beginning, she had depended him, been vulnerable, and had told him what she honestly thought. She had welcomed his presence with open arms and a warm smile, her green eyes bearing her soul to him. When had anyone else ever done that?

Daryl decided he could open up a little too. After all, that's what friends did, wasn't it? Slowly sharing miniscule pieces of their hearts, trading their deepest thoughts and ideas back and forth until they knew everything there was to know about each other. Daryl found that he did want to get to know Lilly better. He wanted to learn what made the mousey attic girl tick, why she was the way she was. And if that meant he had to share a part of himself with her as payment, Daryl figured he could handle that.

Lilly saw Daryl sit down on the fallen tree a couple feet away from her, leaning his crossbow against the trunk and twisting an arrow around in his hands.

"I dream about my brother sometimes."

Lilly looked over at him, surprised at the random offering of information. Daryl didn't look back at her, keeping his eyes glued to the arrow in his hands.

"He's always standin' over me, taller than the empire state building, accusin' me of leaving him to die in Atlanta. And I always tell him that he didn't die - that he was smarter than that. But then all these walkers come, and they all look just like him, chewin' on bits of bloody flesh n' whatnot. There's too many of them. And Merle just watches and laughs while I get torn to bits."

He said it so calmly, like he was predicting the weather forecast. Lilly kept quiet and listened, excited that Daryl was sharing this with her - if not a little confused about why.

"Nasty piece o' work, my brother. Tough as nails, stupider than sin, and a mouth that could offend a whole room of people in less than a minute." Daryl shook his head at the many memories that came coursing through his mind, all of the countless times Merle had gotten someone angry. "Not to mention heartless. If he had to choose between starving children in Africa and himself, he'd choose himself without an ounce of remorse."

Lilly remembered what Carol had said concerning Daryl and his brother. " _Daryl was a different person around him. He had a good heart, but Merle was always dragging him down and walking all over him."_ She bit her lip.

"Merle's always been a bully, always been crude and mean and rough around the edges… But he was my brother. And he looked out for me - took me outside when the old man had too much to drink... 'ain't nobody gonna care about you but Merle,' he always said - or somethin' along those lines."

"Carol told me what happened to him," Lilly told Daryl.

Daryl rolled his eyes, "So what, you two just gossip about me when I'm not around?"

"No," Lilly quickly defended. "I just asked her that night we were stuck in the pile-up on the highway, trying to figure out why you were so mad at me." Daryl seemed satisfied with the answer and leaned back a little. "She said…" Lilly hesitated. "She said she thought you were better without him."

Lilly expected Daryl to get angry and snap at her or something, but he merely sat there and bit his thumb. "Yeah, told me as much," he admitted quietly. In all honesty, Daryl didn't know if he was better or not. He supposed that he'd had more of a chance to speak up without Merle around, but it felt like blasphemy to admit that life had been better without him. Daryl had never had any friends growing up - just Merle. Granted, Merle wasn't there all the time because he was busy getting into trouble, but he'd been there more than anyone else ever had. Merle was blood. And despite all the crap his brother had done, Daryl could not comprehend the thought of forsaking his own family.

"You miss him." It wasn't a question, Lilly could see it plain as day.

Daryl shrugged nonchalantly, not really sure.

"I miss my brother." The quiet admission piqued Daryl's hearing. He glanced over at Lilly, who shrugged her blanket closer around her shoulders. "David was the last of my family to go," she continued nervously. "It about killed me when he died."

"What happened to him?" Daryl found himself asking.

Lilly swallowed and worried at her lip. She hadn't talked about any of it before - hadn't allowed herself to think about it even. But she supposed it would be good to get it out. So with a deep breath, Lilly told him everything.

"It was only a couple weeks into the whole apocalypse. My sister, Rachel, had gotten killed a few days before - it was the first time I'd really seen a walker or a death like that. One minute we were getting supplies from a grocery store, the next she was nothing but a mess of blood on the floor." Lilly shuddered at the memory. "I think her death was quick… I hope it was."

It was strange to think of Lilly with a family in Daryl's mind. He'd always pictured her eternally alone, but now he mentally kicked himself for thinking that. Of course Lilly had been different before the world crashed and burned, they all had.

"We fled and stayed up in our cabin, the one we'd stay at for a few weeks in the summer," Lilly continued. "Didn't have time to grab much - just some food, a bag of clothes, and my dad's wallet." She smirked a little, "As if a wallet was worth anything anymore… I don't think my dad had any idea what would become of humanity. I don't think any of us really did." Her smirk dropped as she continued to speak. "Dad didn't last much longer than my sister. He was too trusting. Not that it was his fault, the whole lot of us was oblivious to how the world had changed."

She clutched her blanket tighter and shivered. "A group of men came by. They knocked on our door, as civil as you would like, and asked if they could stay the night. My dad let them in immediately, welcomed them with open arms. They were armed, but they looked so tired and hungry. I suppose he thought that he could help them, and maybe they could protect us in return." She clenched her fists, her knuckles almost turning white. The memory of what had happened was making her ill. But she couldn't stop now, she had to finish.

"They came into our home, sat in our kitchen, ate our food, and promptly shot my dad in the head as thanks." She shut her eyes, the image bouncing about in her skull and her mom's scream echoing in her ears. "I'll never forget how my mom screamed, the look on my brother's face. The men didn't even flinch. Two of them locked the doors and one lifted their gun up to my mom. She begged them, saying 'take what you want and leave,' but they wouldn't listen. As soon as my mom realized that they weren't going anywhere, she told me and my brother to run. I didn't want to leave her, didn't even have the ability to move I was so scared, but my brother grabbed me and dragged me up the stairs and into the attic."

Ah, the attic. Daryl was starting to understand the significance of the room. It was more than a hiding place to Lilly. It was the place where her life had taken a turn for the worst.

"The men couldn't get to us in the attic," Lilly explained, her voice wobbling a little. "We'd brought the ladder up and locked the door. As long as we stayed up there, we were safe. We could hear them torturing my mom…" her voice broke and her eyes welled up. But before the tears could flow, Lilly blinked them back and forced herself to keep going.

"It was the longest night of my life. David and I both held each other and cried and cried and cried. Then we heard our mom go silent, and cried some more. We listened to the men drag our parent's bodies outside for the walkers to have, then they came back in and went to sleep." She took a deep, shaky breath. "It was almost sunrise when my brother decided we needed to make a move. He kept telling me we had to go down there, maybe steal a gun, and escape the cabin before they got to us. But I was so scared. I kept telling him we'd never make it. I wanted to stay in the attic and wait it out - I was so stupid, I thought that if we just waited they would eventually leave on their own." She laughed bitterly at herself. "I was such an idiot."

"You were scared," Daryl tried to rationalize, "Scared people don't always think clearly."

"Well it got my brother killed," Lilly retorted, her voice seeping with self-disgust. "He was always too nice to me for his own good - I'd had him wrapped around my finger from the moment I was born. So rather than telling me to get a backbone, David let me stay up in the attic while he went to steal a gun. He had me bring the ladder back up once he was gone. I waited, listening for some sort of commotion, but it was so quiet. For a minute there, I thought he was going to succeed, that he was going to pop his head up through the attic door with a smile on his dweeby face and a gun in his hand."

"That's when I heard the men shout. There were gunshots. I thought David had killed them or maybe they'd killed him. But they brought him back to the attic door and started shouting for me to come down, that they had a gun to my brother's head and that they'd kill him if I didn't. They were going to torture me, just like they'd done to my mom. David started shouting too. He told them that I was gone - that I'd killed myself a few hours ago. He lied to keep me safe, and I was so scared that I stayed quiet and went with it. As soon as he'd convinced them that I was already dead in the attic, they shot him."

Daryl was practically ill from what he was hearing. He'd assumed that Lilly had had some traumatic past - who hadn't these days? But this was so much worse than anything he could have imagined. The pieces were all coming together.

Lilly mustered the little strength she had to finish her story. "I listened to them drag my brother's body down the stairs and toss it outside, just like they had with my parents. I would have thrown up, but I managed to keep it down so that they wouldn't hear me. They stayed in the cabin for another two days. I just sat up there, drinking rainwater and praying that they wouldn't hear my stomach growl. I didn't sleep, barely even breathed. Just when I was starting to wonder if they'd never leave and worried that I really would die up there, a bunch of walkers showed up. The men couldn't fight them all off and left the cabin with most of my family's stuff. I stayed in the attic for another day, waiting for the walkers to move on. When they did, I went down stairs and looked around at our ransacked cabin - crying when I saw the blood in the kitchen. I didn't know what to do, where to go, but I knew I couldn't look at that blood anymore. So I grabbed the food that had been left behind, stripped the beds and took the sheets, and went back up to the attic where it was safe. As long as I stayed up there, nothing bad would happen ever again."

The tragic tale came to an end, Lilly falling silent and staring down at her feet darkly. Talking about all that had happened suddenly left her exhausted.

Daryl had no idea what he could say after that. 'I'm sorry' couldn't even begin to cover it. It was no wonder that Lilly was scarred and terrified of everything that moved. She'd barely been exposed to the world of the undead when humans had brutally robbed her of everything she held dear. All she'd known during that time was to stay hidden. Stay in that attic, stay quiet, and never come out. It had been all she'd known in this new life that had begun. In that moment, Daryl suddenly understood Lilly completely.

"I think I'd still be up there if you hadn't found me," Lilly remarked hollowly. "Probably would have been on my last day of food, getting ready to starve. Maybe I'd already be dead."

"Well I did find you and you're still here," Daryl stopped her, not liking where her thoughts were headed. The idea of Lilly still alone in that attic disturbed him more than he cared to admit. With the smallest of shudders, Daryl shook his head clear of the image.

He remembered what she'd said in her sleep. " _Just take what you want and leave."_ The same thing her mom had said. Daryl didn't want to overwhelm Lilly or push her any further, but he had to know. "Is that what your nightmares are about?"

Lilly shook her head. "It's like I said… I don't know. The thing about night terrors is you don't usually remember them." She thought for a moment. Daryl noticed that she tended to bite her lip when she was feeling anxious or stressed. "I suppose that that's what I'm dreaming about, though. It'd make sense - reliving a family's destruction would be enough to make anyone scream at night."

"That shouldn't have happened," Daryl told her suddenly. Lilly blinked at him. "That shouldn't happen to anyone…" Daryl continued, growing quieter. "Especially not you. You didn't deserve it." He truly thought so. Lilly was the sweetest, purest being to exist in his mind and the last thing she ever deserved was grief and heartbreak. It went to show how cruel the world had become, Daryl thought.

Lilly scooted over on the fallen tree and bumped her shoulder into Daryl's. "Thank you. You didn't deserve something like that either."

A strand of hair was blown into her face, casting a shadow across her moonlit eyes. Daryl had the random urge to push it away, but resisted. Lilly was struck with the tender way he looked at her, so different from the usual gruff expression he wore in the daytime. Her heart warmed at the sight.

A large yawn from Lilly cut off their gaze, and they both shifted awkwardly when they realized how close they were. "I think I'm gonna go back to sleep," Lilly excused herself, standing up and stretching. "See if I can get a couple more hours before the sun comes up."

"I'll wake you if another nightmare comes," Daryl told her.

"Thanks," Lilly smiled softly. She stepped over the fallen tree, her leg brushing against Daryl's elbow. Before she made it back to the tent, Lilly turned around. "Daryl?"

The hunter turned to look at her silhouette in the darkness. "Hm?"

Lilly licked her lips nervously before speaking. "I think Merle's wrong, saying that he's the only one who cares about you. You should know that."

Daryl ducked his head and nodded shyly, unsure how to respond. "Go back to sleep, Lilly."

He listened to her light footsteps as she made her way back to the tent, his ears following the sounds of her unzipping the opening and going inside. Though he stayed quiet, his mind was practically bursting as he reflected on all the things he'd heard.

…

The next day, Rick announced that they'd be stopping by a town for supplies. Nobody was eager to make the trip, seeing as they now had to watch their backs extra closely, but ammo was running low and they hadn't had any luck with the previous town as far as weapons went. With the threat of being found by Cain and his men hanging over their heads, Rick wanted to make sure they were well equipped and able to defend themselves.

As Lilly got in Glenn and Maggie's car and watched Daryl hop on his bike, she frowned at his dry, cracked knuckles in concern. They were starting to bleed.

Clouds blanketed the sky today, grey and heavy and ready to drop at any moment. The wind was blowing with a vengeance, colder than it had ever been before. The weather was getting worse quickly, and Lilly hated the thought of Daryl freezing on his bike. If he didn't get something warmer soon, he was going to get frostbite.

The group sped down the road in a parade formation, with Daryl at the front, Rick behind him, and Glenn and Maggie following behind them. Seeing as one of the windows was wide open due to getting hit by a bullet, the cold wind blew into Glenn and Maggie's car angrily. They were all cold, grabbing blankets and using them to fend off the cold as best as possible. Lilly's hair danced with the gale, its chocolate strands turning icy. She pulled out a hair tie that had been retrieved at the last town and tied her unruly mane into a long, thick french braid. Shorter strands still escaped the rope and tickled her face, but it was still better.

Within the hour, Lilly was shivering and Glenn was brainstorming ideas to get the gaping window covered. Him and Maggie decided that duct taping a tarp would be the best option, and made a goal to find the needed supplies today during the supply run. Lilly looked forward to it, already harboring bitter feelings for the mocking hole in the car.

She listened to the engine of Daryl's motorbike, her concern deepening. With her layers of clothes, along with a blanket, Lilly was still freezing. She couldn't imagine the predicament Daryl was in, with nothing but a leather jacket shielding his body from the cold. She was certain that if something wasn't changed soon, Daryl would be losing his fingers.

"Maybe Daryl should start riding with us," Lilly suggested suddenly. Glenn and Maggie both looked back at her with surprise. Pinned under their confused gaze, Lilly added quietly, "Or in any of the cars. I just think he must be cold on that motorcycle."

Glenn smiled endearingly and looked back at the road. "We've tried to convince him before, but there isn't room to keep it in any of the trucks. And he won't be leaving that bike behind any time soon… It was his brother's."

 _Ah_ , Lilly nodded in understanding. She supposed she could try and convince him herself, but she doubted he'd listen even to her. Lilly would have to find another solution.

 _Good thing we're going to be in a town today,_ a small voice whispered. Lilly smiled when an idea hit her.

For this supply run, Lilly was going to set her own agenda.


	10. Chapter 10

They pulled into a town around lunchtime. The street was much like the last one the group had seen, broken and worse for wear. Lilly stepped out of Maggie and Glenn's car, freshly motivated and eager to get moving. Nobody else shared in her energy, their eyes casting wary glances about the place and their fingers hovering over their guns. Of course Lilly was scared about Cain and his men coming by here, but she found comfort from losing herself in her new goal of the day.

Daryl scowled at the battered buildings and shattered windows, kicking a loose newspaper away when it blew into his foot. The dilapidated town was a little too similar to the last one they'd been in, and memories were fresh. Images of the bruised, starved girl-turned-walker flashed through his mind, causing his shoulders to tense. Judging from the looks exchanged between Maggie, Glenn, and Rick, they were all thinking of the same thing.

Hopping off his bike, Daryl's blue eyes picked through the crowd to find Lilly, who was surprisingly chipper all things considered. She met his gaze and her pink lips curled into a little smile in spite of the tension hounding everyone. He wasn't sure what to make of it, having expected her to be stressed and jumpy.

"Alright everyone, split into two groups. We're making this trip quick," Rick instructed. "Any weapons you see, especially ammo, grab it. If there's something else you want to grab, that's not a problem, but make it quick."

Rick nodded at Daryl, silently communicating that he was in charge of the second group. Nobody needed telling - Daryl's role as second in command was a given. As everyone split off, the hunter made his way over to Lilly. He was feeling on edge with the memory of the abused girl in the last town, and somehow his mind had connected it to his newest friend. Anxious to make sure she didn't end up that way, Daryl approached Lilly and gave her a nudge. "C'mon."

"Oh," Lilly looked up at him oddly. "Um - I actually was gonna go with Glenn and Rick." When Daryl frowned at her in bewilderment, Lilly quickly added, "Uh, Glenn wanted to talk to me about something."

"Well you're in a car with Glenn all day every day, you have time to talk later," Daryl said with squinted eyes.

"Yeah but - uh - just -" Lilly was a terrible liar. She couldn't let Daryl know what she was doing, knowing he'd just roll his eyes and not let her. But unable to find an excuse, Lilly gave up on giving one at all and gave Daryl's shoulder an awkward pat. "Just - I'll see you later, okay?"

She turned on her heel to follow after Glenn and Maggie, but was stopped by Daryl's large hand on her elbow. "Lilly."

Lilly turned around sheepishly and waited for him to say something. Daryl was looking at her strangely, no doubt suspicious, but after a moment, he let go of her arm. "Be careful."

Lilly met his eyes and the corner of her lips twitched. "You too."

With that, she whirled back around and skipped after Maggie and Glenn. Daryl watched her retreating back uncertainly, watching her braid wave about, nearly reaching her waist. He was confused and secretly a little dejected, but Daryl didn't have time for that. He had a job to do. So with a scoff, the hunter turned and went the opposite direction of Lilly across the street.

As Lilly fell into step next to Maggie, the farmgirl looked over at her. "What was that about?"

"Nothing," Lilly told her simply.

Maggie was curious, but didn't press it any farther and looked ahead where Glenn was knocking on windows to check for walkers. She was still thinking about the dead girl in the dressing room. Just like the build up on the highway had been a time capsule of sorts for those who remembered Sophia, this town was reminding those who'd seen that walker of the horrific sight a little too well.

"Maggie?" Lilly brought Maggie out of her dark memory.

"Hm?"

"Are you okay?"

Maggie looked at Lilly and was met with her perceptive green eyes. She considered telling Lilly what she'd seen, but remembered how Daryl had made sure that Lilly remained oblivious to the whole mess. So she forced a smile and nodded. "Just nervous about Cain and all that, you know?"

Lilly nodded in understanding and bit her lip. "Yeah. Me too."

Glenn poked his head out from a hunting store - while Lilly and Maggie had been talking, him and Rick had already set to work checking it out. "Hey, it's all clear! C'mon!" There was a goofy smile on his face. "We hit the jackpot."

Sure enough, as Lilly walked into the store her face bloomed into a surprised grin. Everyone in the group was looking around with a mixture of shock and awe. Even Rick couldn't help but light up at the sight.

The store was full of supplies and equipment. Like any other store, it had been picked over before, but there was still a lot of stuff left. With a chuckle, Glenn got to work scanning the aisles, pulling out a pair of hiking boots with glee. Rick made a beeline for the guns and ammo with Carl and Lori, while Maggie began sorting through the emergency kits.

Lilly looked through the store with careful eyes, her face brightening when she found an aisle packed with exactly what she was looking for. With an excited gleam in her eyes, Lilly got to work.

….

Daryl and his group were having just as much luck. They'd found boxes upon boxes of canned food and bottled water, much to everyone's relief - they'd been running low on food and were happy to have a bit of a variety in canned foods again. Herschel and Beth got to work looking through some of the drugs they'd found.

"Lilly still having those night terrors?" Herschel wondered allowed to nobody in particular.

Daryl remembered the horrible one she'd had last night, the one that he hadn't been sure he could wake her up from, and quickly spoke up. "Yeah. I think they're gettin' worse."

Everyone kind of paused in surprise when Daryl spoke for Lilly, not expecting him to be the one to answer Herschel's query. Daryl shrugged their looks off with a scowl, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

Herschel clapped a bottle in Daryl's hand. "Here, this is melatonin. It might help her sleep better."

Daryl looked up and down at the bottle and Herschel bemusedly. "What're you giving it to me for?"

"Just take it, Daryl," Carol smirked.

Daryl rolled his eyes and tucked the bottle in his back pocket, his ears going warm. He gave Herschel a thankful nod. "Thanks, old man."

While the supply run was turning out to be quite a success, Daryl was anxious to end it before something bad happened. Several walkers were holed up in an old cafe. Daryl took them out with ease, but his thoughts were elsewhere. He hoped that Rick's group wasn't running into any trouble. More specifically, he hoped that _Lilly_ wasn't running into any trouble.

Two hours later, Daryl's group was almost overwhelmed with fresh supplies. He decided to call it and eagerly led them back to the cars. To Daryl's relief, Rick's group was already there and waiting.

At the sight of them coming with full arms, a rare smile slid onto Rick's worn face. "I'm assuming you had some luck?"

"Sure did," Carol told him, coming closer so that he could see the box full of food she was carrying. "You?"

"We've got enough ammo to last us a few months," Rick informed her proudly.

Daryl wasn't paying much attention to the conversation, quickly dumping his duffel bag of stuff in the back of Rick's truck and scanning the area for Lilly. He found her leaned against Glenn and Maggie's car, a roll of duct tape in her hands while she helped Maggie cover the shattered window. The wind teased at the shorter strands hanging out of her braid, but she looked content. Now that the supply run was over, Daryl was curious about why Lilly was acting so strange.

"There," Maggie sighed as she slid the last bit of duct tape over the tarp on the car window. "That should keep the wind out, at the very least."

Lilly smiled with relief. Her grin widened when she saw Daryl approaching, something glinting in her green eyes. "Daryl! I was wondering when you'd get back."

"How long have you been waitin'?" Daryl asked her as he got closer.

"Long enough," Lilly shrugged. She stepped around Maggie and opened the car door. "It's actually a good thing - gave me some time to get _this_ done."

Daryl frowned as she ducked into the car. Get what done? Maggie went to go talk to Glenn, leaving Daryl and Lilly secluded.

"Here," Lilly came back out with a bundle of material in her hands. As she approached Daryl with it, her smile wavered and she bit her lip, suddenly nervous. She shifted her weight back and forth and fidgeted a bit. "Um… I noticed it was cold outside…"

"Well aren't you observant," Daryl deadpanned.

Lilly blushed and stumbled onward. "Yeah, uh - well I figure it's gotta be cold on your bike, so I found some stuff for you…" She unfolded the bundle in her arms, revealing a large blanket. "It's a horse blanket, but I cut a hole in it so that you could have it while you're driving, like a poncho, and um," she she revealed a pair of thick black gloves, "These are for your hands - obviously, they're gloves, as you can see…" It was all she could do to not smack herself for being so awkward. Her face was burning with embarrassment. _This was a stupid idea._

Daryl watched all this with a blank expression. Lilly fiddled with the blanket-poncho and gloves in her hands, growing more and more flustered and shy with every second that ticked by. "It's not much but… I figured you could use it, maybe… It's okay if you don't want it - though you should take it anyway 'cause it's freaking cold… ugh, sorry."

"What have I told you about apologizin'?" Daryl stopped her.

Lilly shook her head a little. "Oh yeah, sorr - um, okay." With an exasperated sigh, she forced the blanket and gloves into Daryl's hands and moved to walk away, mumbling something along the lines of 'just take it' and 'this is stupid'.

Before she could leave, Daryl halted her with his voice. "Lilly." She turned around and met his gaze, shamefaced. "Thanks," he told her simply.

Lilly tucked a flyaway strand of hair behind her ear with a shy smile. "You're welcome."

"Alright, people, let's get moving," Rick called, interrupting the moment. People started getting into their cars and engines sounded.

Cheeks dusted in a pleasant pink color, Lilly awkwardly stepped around Daryl and got into Glenn and Maggie's car, leaving him standing there, surprised. He assumed that was why she'd been acting oddly, and it made a peculiar feeling settling in his chest. Daryl walked over to his bike, sliding the gloves on his hands and throwing the horse blanket over his head. Warmth seeped into his bones, his hands grateful as he grasped the cold metal handlebars.

He'd never admit it, but Daryl had been freezing on that motorcycle. Lilly's thoughtfulness was a godsend. Who had ever done something like that for him? He couldn't remember a single instance. Once again, the girl had managed to do something unexpected, and Daryl found himself more and more glad that she was around.

….

The rest of the day was pleasant for both Daryl and Lilly. Lilly couldn't help but smile in pride when she saw that Daryl was using the gifts she'd found him. It was nice to see his dry hands covered in his thick black gloves, shielded from the unforgiving cold.

Lilly was also feeling considerably better now that her and Maggie had managed to cover up the shattered window in their car. The blue piece of tarp flapped loudly with the wind, but Lilly was just glad that the wind was bouncing off it rather than seeping into the car to freeze her. Despite the fact that the world was overrun with the living dead - not to mention they were on a murderous group's hit list, Lilly was quite content.

Leaving her attic had been terrifying, to say the least. After living in that single room for almost half a year, it had been hard to function without the security of four walls around her as protection all the time. The more Lilly thought about it, the more she realized how much meaning had been attached to that place.

The attic was more than a hiding spot, or a landmark to remind her of the day her world changed. It had been a place of disillusion. Lilly now realized that she hadn't just been hiding from walkers and murderers in that attic. She'd been hiding from reality. As long as she'd stayed there, she could convince herself that all was well. She could pretend that her family was still alive, that her mom was cooking dinner downstair and David was on the phone with the latest babe that'd caught his eye. Her dad could have come up at any moment to tell her about work. Rachel might be jogging, rather than torn into pieces at the grocery store.

Now, with the tarp on the car beating loudly with the wind, Maggie and Glenn discussing whether winter would slow the walkers down or not, and the cold frosting her breath, reality was undeniable. There was no room for delusions. Lilly was forced to accept that her family had been slaughtered and that she was in a fight for her life. It was difficult, depressing, even maddening at times. Sleep was not kind to her. Night was no friend. Every day was a small battle just to keep her humanity and stay motivated. Yet Lilly knew she would never go back to spending the rest of her days in that attic - even if she could.

Reality was painful, but at least it gave Lilly reasons to exist. As her dad had always told her, there couldn't be good without the bad. Without monsters like walkers, Lilly would never appreciated humanity as much. Without the cold and constant hunt for food, Lilly wouldn't have delighted in something as simple as squirrel meat. Simple things were becoming a joy to Lilly, and thanks to the apocalypse, she was being introduced to aspects of life that wouldn't have existed otherwise.

Most importantly to Lilly, the end of the world had led her to Daryl.

In another life, Lilly knew without a doubt that if she'd seen Daryl, she would have been nervous and avoided him. She would have dismissed him as nothing more than some redneck hick with a permanent scowl etched onto his face. She probably would have even been worried by his presence, afraid that he would lose his temper and hurt someone.

Meanwhile, Daryl wouldn't have given her the time of day, taking her for a simple, prissy little brat that didn't know how to get her hands dirty. He would have thought she was a snooty, weak rich girl who thought she was better than him. Worst of all, Daryl would have believed that was true - that he wasn't worth the mud on her shoes and that she really was better.

The apocalypse had dramatically changed everything. The walkers had brought humanity down and ground them into equal individuals, as if giving them a second chance to rise above one another. It was only in a world where everyone was on equal grounds, rugged and fighting to live, that Daryl and Lilly would have ever even considered one another.

Lilly thanked the stars for this. Though it had only been six days since she'd met Daryl, she already knew that he was a friend for life. Daryl may have been callous and impenetrable to most, but once someone got under his skin, his loyalty was eternal. It was plain to see in his protectiveness of the group, the way he looked after everyone (even if he was grimacing the whole time). Under all that tough exterior that Daryl had masked himself in, he was a genuine man with fierce allegiances.

That evening, after they'd set up camp deep in the forest, Lilly got Glenn to show her how to build a fire. It took some learning, but Lilly was able to get the flames going in under five minutes. She hovered near it, a proud smile on her face as the group started to huddle near it for warmth. Slowly but surely, Lilly was working on making herself an asset rather than a burden.

They cooked canned stew over the fire and ate it with stale crackers. Everyone devoured their dinner hungrily, their minds a little more at peace after their success with the supply run that day.

As Lilly licked her fingers of the salt from the crackers, Daryl came and sat on the ground next to her. She couldn't help but smirk to herself when she saw that he was still wearing the horse blanket and his gloves were tucked in his pocket.

"I'm gonna go huntin' tomorrow morning before we leave," he told her quietly. "You should come."

Lilly blinked at him in surprise. "Really? You want me to come again?"

"Something wrong with that?" Daryl frowned.

"No," Lilly quickly assured him. She cast her eyes back to the fire and fidgeted with her sleeves. "It's just… I dunno, I think I'd slow you down more than anything else. I don't know the first thing about hunting."

"I know. That's why you're coming," Daryl rolled his eyes. "It's one thing to be able to look at a walker without throwin' a fit, it's another to know how to kill one."

He had a point. Lilly had made good progress, learning to gut squirrels and adjusting to a life where walker's were an everyday occurrence. But she still was clueless when it came down to defending herself. Following Daryl around and getting some experience would be good. "Alright," Lilly smiled. "Sounds good."

"Good." Daryl finished his dinner and tossed the empty can in the fire, then got up to talk to Rick about who would take watch that night.

It was decided that Maggie would take the first shift, Daryl the second, and Rick the third. Not long after dinner, everyone headed into their tents to sleep. Lilly stood awkwardly outside of Daryl's tent. "Knock knock."

"What're you standin' out there for?" Daryl's gruff voice answered from inside. "Not like it's locked."

Lilly unzipped the tent and ducked in, finding Daryl laying on his side, sharpening an arrow head by the light of a flashlight. She stood there for a moment with her duffel bag and sleeping bag bundled up in her arms. "Are you still okay with me sleeping in here?"

Daryl looked at her like she had just asked if he was a woman. "Last I checked, yeah." He may as well have added a 'duh' at the end.

Lilly blushed and got to work laying her sleeping bag out on the other side of the tent. "Okay, just checking." She squinted in the darkness while she pulled a blanket out of the sleeping bag and unfolded it, then took off her shoes and prepared to slide in.

"Oh, almost forgot," Daryl spoke up before she could lay down. She listened to him shuffling about in the shadows, his flashlight on its side and illuminating the side of the tent. Daryl snatched it back up and rolled something her way, aiming the light at it.

The beam revealed a bottle of pills. Lilly picked it up carefully and squinted at the label.

"Herschel found it for ya'," Daryl explained. "Called it melon... mela-somethin'. Said that it might help you sleep better."

"Thanks," Lilly said softly. She turned and searched through her duffel bag, procuring a nearly empty water bottle.

"Don't thank me, thank Herschel."

Lilly opened the pill bottle and let a tablet fall out onto her hand, swallowing it with water. As soon as it went down, she held both the melatonin and the water bottle out to Daryl. "You should have some too."

"Nah, I gotta take watch after Maggie, remember?"

"Oh yeah," Lilly let her hands fall. Daryl started to kick his shoes off when she held the sleeping pills up to him again. "Well you should take one after your shift. For your nightmares."

Daryl glanced between the bottle and Lilly, reluctant to tell her that nightmares hadn't been a problem for him since she'd been around. He didn't want her to think she was doing something to him - even though she was. It was embarrassing. So rather than tell Lilly the truth, Daryl shrugged. "Nah, they're not for me."

"Are you sure?" Lilly asked, her voice laced with concern.

Daryl's mouth twitched at the sound. It was strange to hear someone worry about him like that, though not unpleasant. "I'm sure."

Lilly finally relented, placing the bottle of melatonin in her duffel bag along with her water bottle. She proceeded to pull the hair tie out of her hair and run her fingers through the braid she'd tied that day. The strands fell out of the weave in chocolate waves, fanning out around her shoulders and down her back.

Daryl's flashlight allowed him to see from the corner of his eye, and he found himself a little enchanted by the sight. He wondered if her hair was as soft as it looked.

As soon as the thought came, he shook his head with a scowl and turned the flashlight off, drowning the tent in darkness. Daryl wasn't sure where these feelings were coming from, but he did know that they made him uncomfortable. So with a mind full of confusion, the hunter slid into his sleeping bag and turned his back to Lilly.

He could hear her slide into her own sleeping bag a moment later and curl up with a sigh. "Goodnight, Daryl."

"Goodnight, Lilly." Daryl's reply was verging on automatic. He rolled his eyes at the pattern that was forming. How had this mousy young woman managed to slip into his life like she'd always been there? Pondering on this question, Daryl quickly fell asleep.

….

"Lilly, wake up."

Lilly moaned tiredly and pulled her eyelids open with effort. Daryl was on the other side of the tent putting his shoes on. When she made no move to get up, he looked over. Lilly's eyes had drooped back shut and she had buried her face in her sleeping back with a long exhale.

Lilly woke a second time when Daryl reached over and smacked her hip. "C'mon, Lilly. You can sleep later."

Lilly blinked at the sunlight streaming into the tent and stretched. She sat up with a yawn, a small crease forming between her brows. "Daryl?"

"What?" He had finished putting his shoes and and was waiting impatiently.

"Did I… Did I scream at all last night?" She wondered if he'd had to wake her up and she just didn't remember. It was strange, seeing as usually the night terrors left her vividly terrified and needing some time to get back to sleep.

Daryl's blue eyes glinted at the question and he couldn't help but smile a little. "Nope. Slept through the night like a log."

Lilly's eyes widened in happy surprise and a smile graced her sleep plumped lips. "Really?"

"Really," Daryl told her as he retrieved his crossbow. "Pretty sure you even snored a couple times."

Her smile faltered at that and her cheeks turned pink. Daryl was lying about the snoring of course - Lilly tended to curl in on herself tightly and sleep as quietly at death when she wasn't screaming - but he enjoyed the result of flustering her. Not bothering to amend his lie, Daryl stood and stretched. "Now get up, I'm not waiting for the grass to grow."

Lilly slid out of her sleeping bag and pulled her boots on. "Where are we going?"

Daryl looked at her with an expression akin to one of an exasperated parent. "Hunting, remember? Sheesh, did Herschel's pills give you amnesia or somethin?"

"Oh yeah!" Lilly hurried to pull her poncho on and followed him out of the tent, rubbing her eyes. "Sorry, still haven't woken up all the way yet."

"Yeah, I can tell," Daryl snorted.

The pair trudged out of the camp and deeper into the forest, breathing in the crisp morning air. Lilly couldn't help but smile. Thanks to Herschel's discovery, she'd been able to sleep through the night without waking someone up, and now she was hunting with Daryl.

All things considered, life was good.


	11. Chapter 11

"Quit breathin' in my ear! Honestly, woman…"

Lilly had been leaning over Daryl's shoulder as he knelt on the ground, trying her best to see whatever it was he was looking at. Apparently, she'd leaned in too close and made Daryl uncomfortable, seeing as he had elbowed her in the stomach and knocked her back. Lilly stumbled and tripped, landing on her butt with a huff.

"Excuse you," she grumbled, glaring at his back. "It'd help if you'd tell me what you're even doing."

"What does it look like I'm doin'? The hoki poki?" Daryl snapped over his shoulder.

An unladylike snort forced its way up Lilly's throat as soon as the image came to mind. "No, but I sure wouldn't mind seeing that."

Daryl gave her a glare that should have turned her to stone, but it only made her giggle. "Knock it off, princess, I'm tryin' to concentrate."

Lilly covered her mouth and bit her tongue. While Daryl continued to study the ground intently, she hoisted herself to her feet and brushed the dirt off her butt. That's when something on the ground caught her eye and she knelt down, squinting. "Hey, Daryl…"

"Shut your trap, Lilly," came the gruff reply. Daryl was far too enraptured elsewhere, still trying to decipher whatever it was he was seeing on the ground.

"No, Daryl, look," Lilly told him.

Daryl raised his head and turned to look at her. She was pointing at something. With a sigh, the hunter stood and moved next to her, following her finger to the ground. There, in a patch of mud, was a deer track - clear as day. The heart-shaped hoof print was undeniable.

Lilly watched Daryl's brows twitch, smiling cheekily. "That's something, right?"

"That's a deer," Daryl thought aloud.

Lilly rolled her eyes, "Yeah, I can see that, I'm not totally clueless -"

"This came by less than ten minutes ago."

Lilly blinked at that, her mouth opening in an 'o' shape. "Oh?"

Daryl nodded and glanced at her, his blue eyes glowing. "If we hurry, we could catch it within the hour."

Before Lilly could respond, Daryl had swung his crossbow off his shoulder and was hopping over a bush in the direction the deer went. Lilly watched him go, shaking her head slightly before stepping after him.

The pair had been walking through the forest for almost an hour, exchanging few words and enjoying the solitude from the rest of the group. A crisp layer of frost had coated every surface, now leaving the forest wet and drippy. As they walked, droplets of icy water fell from branches and landed on their faces. The sun was peaking through heavy clouds for the first time in a couple days. Lilly and Daryl's breath could be seen in white puffs of condensation each time they exhaled, the chilly morning reddening their fingers and noses.

They crept through the foliage silently, just as they had on their last hunting trip. Lilly easily fell back into the pattern of mirroring Daryl's careful footsteps, admiring the predatory yet graceful way he moved. Small details like the way he'd take a breath and pause every once and awhile, or brush his fingers against a tree trunk as if to mark where he was, made Lilly's affection for the man send warmth coursing through her heart.

Meanwhile, Daryl too was enjoying the company. Lilly's soft and quiet presence behind him was comforting and pleasant. She reminded him of a little bird perched on his shoulder, his ever constant companion. Daryl was secretly astonished and happy with her natural ability to move through the forest like a ghost. With stealth like that, the girl was almost frightening despite her small stature and sensitive nature.

Blood pumping as one with the forest, Daryl and Lilly pursued their deer. They were able to move with a silence and speed that led them to it in a little over half an hour. When a glimpse of golden brown fur was spotted between a few trees, Daryl halted. Lilly stopped with him, crouching down a little.

Daryl sunk down behind a bush next to her and urged her to do the same. They both watched with bated breath, a light breeze teasing their hair. It took a minute or two, but the deer eventually picked its way out from behind a mass of trees and into plain sight. Unlike the last one they'd seen, this one had no antlers. The beautiful doe nibbled at a patch of long grass, her muscles tense and her large round eyes ever watchful. As she brought her head back up and twitched her nose, her large ears pricked up to listen for any signs of a threat.

Lilly's eyes flickered between the elegant animal and Daryl, who was slowly raising his crossbow. She prayed that this scenario wouldn't turn out like it had last time, with a walker scaring the deer away and ruining their hunt.

As the deer's head lined up with the tip of his arrow point, Daryl took a deep, cleansing breath. His pulse pounded in his ears.

Daryl pulled the trigger.

The deer didn't have time to blink before the arrow had embedded itself into the side of its skull and sent it dropping to the ground in a lifeless heap.

Lilly jumped, startled by the abruptness of the moment and the sound of Daryl's arrow slicing through the air. It took her a moment to process the now dead creature crumpled on the forest floor. While Daryl let out a victorious shout and stood up, Lilly blinked several times, her mouth hanging open.

Standing up slowly, a toothy grin stretched out over her face. "You did it!"

Daryl was already kneeling down next to the deer. "Sure did," he agreed merrily. "This'll feed us for a good two weeks." He lifted the deer's head by its ears and inspected its lifeless eyes before yanking his arrow out of its skull.

Lilly stepped out and came closer, her eyes widening at the precision of Daryl's shot. A small hole with a bit of blood was the only sign of the deer's demise. The hunter wiped some deer blood off of his arrow with the grass and tucked it back into his quiver.

"Alright, let's get this back to camp." Daryl wrapped his strong arms around the deer's middle and hoisted it over his shoulder with a grunt.

Lilly's eyebrows shot up at the sight of his strength. Deer dangling limply over the man's shoulder, he looked up at the sky to figure out which direction they should be headed, then moved that way. Lilly watched him go, a small smile on her face. Daryl Dixon was proving to be more and more amazing with each second that ticked by.

…

The group greeted Daryl and Lilly with smiles (and a cheer from Glenn and T-Dog) when they showed up with the large deer. Daryl shook off the gratitude with a scowl and let the deer drop with a thud, stretching out his aching shoulder. Rick and Glenn hoisted the deer into the back of Rick's truck. Everyone finished some last minute packing up, and were soon hopping in their vehicles and on their way.

They drove for the rest of the morning and into the afternoon, making only a few minor stops to refuel. Lilly watched the frosty scenery zip by. The forest was no longer what it had been when she'd first left the attic. In the short days that had gone by, it had finished drying up and now looked hollow. The clouds were heavy, the wind was icy, and it was only a matter of time before it snowed.

Lilly wondered if they'd ever stop moving. What if Rick was never satisfied? What if he dragged them across the states all winter, never giving them time to settle? This moving lifestyle was hard, and it would only get harder once it snowed. Camping would be a great deal more difficult - not to mention colder. Things like snow plows didn't exist anymore. They could get stuck, or at the very least be forced to move at the pace of a snail. Lilly hoped that Rick would find whatever he was looking for soon.

It wasn't that she doubted Rick Grimes. She knew that there was a reason he had been dubbed as the leader of the group. The ex-cop was steadfast and strong, not to mention he had managed to keep most of his sanity despite the pressure mounted onto his shoulders. Like the rest of the group, Lilly trusted Rick with her life. She just hoped he wouldn't crack under the stress.

When they pulled over for lunch, Lilly was thrilled to get out and stretch her legs. Even though she'd been huddled up in an attic for five months, she'd been able to at least walk around. Sitting in a car for the majority of the day was a trial for her restless muscles. It was all Lilly could do to not run laps around the cars in her need to move.

While everyone got busy passing around stale bread, crackers, and bottled water, Lilly was bouncing on the balls of her feet, itching to do something other than stand there. Hunting with Daryl had ignited a new sort of excitement associated with the forest. She wanted to be out again, the adrenaline of pursuit pumping through her veins as she crept about. Lilly suddenly found herself harboring ill feelings for the dead deer in the back of Rick's truck - if what Daryl said was true, there wouldn't be a need to go hunting for another two weeks.

"Daryl, we've got company," she suddenly heard Rick saying.

The dry moans of the dead came floating into the air. A pair of walkers were stumbling along the road a good quarter of a mile away. They were emaciated, struggling to balance, and frankly weren't much of a concern so long as someone picked them off soon.

"Got it," Daryl swung his crossbow into his hands and meandered in their direction. "Lilly, c'mon."

"Wha - me?" Lilly frowned. "Why?"

"'Cause you're learning, now come on," Daryl explained gruffly.

The rest of the group gave Lilly a mixture of amused and confused looks. She ducked her head, blushing, before going after Daryl. Lilly had to jog a little to catch up to his long strides. She came to his side and walked quickly, struggling to match his brisk pace.

"Get your knife out," Daryl ordered as they drew closer to the pair of walkers.

Lilly did as asked, slipping the small weapon from her waistband. The familiar feel of anxiety started to snake through her bones the closer they got to the walkers. The two creatures rasped and started to clack their jaws, anticipating a meal of fresh meat.

The walkers appeared to have possibly known each other before their deaths. A woman in a mud and blood stained sundress stumbled along, the wind tangling her matted ashy blonde hair. The other walker, a man, was clothed in a tattered business suit. Both appeared to have been rather high maintenance in another life. Lilly wondered what they would have thought of their appearances now.

Once the walkers were only several yards away, Daryl raised his crossbow and took out the woman with a flash of an arrow. She dropped to the ground, her walker companion not even sparing a glance in her direction. It was disturbing to see the utter lack of concern for his female friend in death. Oblivious to the demise he was approaching, the walker stretched his arms forward and continued to teeter on closer to Daryl and Lilly.

"You're turn," Daryl nudged Lilly with his elbow. "Stick that knife in its brain, and be sure to watch its mouth. Don't let it get its hands on ya' either - they have a stronger grip than they you'd think."

Daryl stepped back to give Lilly room. The girl gaped at the walker approaching her, her hands going clammy around the hilt of her knife. Now that she had been put on the spot, doubt seeped into her mind. Sure, she'd mastered the art of following Daryl around, skinning squirrels and creeping through the forest. This wasn't her first walker, either - but the last one had been sprawled on the ground and unable to get or move to attack anyone. Maybe she'd killed a man, but it had all happened in the heat of the moment. In this moment, everything was calculated and planned. The walker before Lilly now was the 'real deal', she supposed. And it was terrifying.

She glanced back at Daryl with a sick expression. "Daryl…"

"Don't look at me, watch the walker," he barked, waving his hand in her direction.

Lilly returned her gaze to the walker and stepped back nervously. It was almost close enough to touch her with its outstretched, rotting hands. Lilly took another step back, pointing her knife at the thing uselessly. "Daryl, I'm not sure -"

"The longer you wait, the more dangerous you make it," he told her, watching every movement with wary blue eyes. "C'mon, princess, don't make me take it down for you."

Lilly continued to stumble back, the walker's fingers hovering only inches away from her eyes. Her heart started to rise into her throat, her knees going watery, and shivers that weren't from the cold starting to take control of her muscles. The walker's gaping mouth seemed to overwhelm all of Lilly's vision - it was the only thing she could look at. It was like all the progress she had made over the last few days was wavering before her, teetering on the edge of a cliff and threatening to vanish.

Soon Lilly was backing up past Daryl, the walker following her closely. He itched to pull the trigger on his crossbow and be done with the whole ordeal. It was not a nice thing to see Lilly being pursued by a walker, even if it wasn't really a horribly dangerous situation and could be remedied easily. He watched her pale face, willing her to get over her fears and make a move.

Carol, who'd been watching the scene, was now growing anxious when Lilly continued to hesitate. "Daryl…" she called nervously, taking a step forward. The longer Lilly waited, the worse the situation would get. Something was going to give soon, and it needed to be Lilly.

But Lilly continued to stumble back with wide eyes, her mouth slack, holding her knife uselessly in front of her.

"Lilly, c'mon already," Daryl muttered to her, his hand tensing on his crossbow.

Lilly didn't seem to hear him.

"Lilly," Daryl said louder. "It's not hard, just get it over with. You can do it."

The girl tripped over a piece of debris on the road and gasped as she started to fall backwards. Daryl raised his crossbow and started to aim, knowing that the walker would have its teeth in her throat in seconds. But before he could shoot, an amazing thing happened.

Rather than fall to the ground, Lilly managed to catch herself. The shock of tripping must have snapped her out of the strange trance she'd gone into, as she blinked and suddenly twisted her face into a snarl. With a firm grip on her knife, she swung her hand upwards and brought the blade down on the walker's head. The cold metal sunk into the crown of its head, right to the brain. The walker went still instantly, crumpling to Lilly's feet.

With a squelch, she yanked her knife out of the walker's head, allowing it to complete its drop to the floor. Its face met the pavement, feeble bones and torn skin scraping against the road. Blood sprayed onto Lilly's hand and she stepped away from the body quickly, looking up at Daryl with astonishment.

"I did it," she breathed, a shaky smile working its way onto her still pale face.

Daryl heaved a sigh and lowered his crossbow, resisting the urge to smack her in the back of her head. "Sure made it hard for yourself, but yeah."

Lilly's smile faded a little. "I don't know what came over me… I just couldn't wrap my head around what I was doing. Never really imagined I could take a walker down, you know?"

"Well you can and you did," Daryl told her, walking up to her and offering the rag from his back pocket to her. "Quit doubting yourself. You're just as capable as anyone."

Lilly took the rag from him gratefully and wiped at her hand, then proceeded to clean her bloody knife. "I'll remember that… Thanks."

Daryl shifted uncomfortably. "S'not a compliment. Doubting gets you killed. I'm just warning you is all."

"Okay," Lilly bit her lip, handing the rag back to him.

"Alright, everyone, let's get moving!" Rick called.

Daryl nudged Lilly and headed back to his bike, leaving her with her thoughts.

Lilly cast a last look at the walker she'd just killed. The sight was disturbing, but a sense of fulfillment was forming in Lilly's chest. Whoever those two walker's had been, they were now free from their undead prison. She was glad it was officially over for them. Even more exciting for Lilly, now that she was realizing how easy it was to take down a single walker, she felt a little more adjusted to the real world.

With a satisfied smile, Lilly left the two unmoving walkers and hopped back into Glenn and Maggie's car. The parade took off down the road, continuing on its never ending search for peace.

…..

"Want to hear something funny?" Lilly asked Daryl that night while they went into his tent.

"Not really one for jokes," Daryl replied, his voice deep and gravelly with exhaustion. It had been a long day on his bike, and though Lilly's gifts had helped in fending off the cold, the weather was still taking a toll on him. Not to mention his shoulders were sore from dragging that deer back to camp this morning.

Lilly slipped off her boots and rolled out her sleeping bag. "You told me I wouldn't last a week out here."

Daryl paused at that, a frown forming on his face. "Not sure what's funny about that."

Lilly smiled widely in the darkness. "You were wrong. It's been one week as of today, and as you can see, I am still quite alive."

Daryl shook his head. Had it really only been a week since he'd met her? So much had changed in such a short amount of time.

He remembered what he first thought of Lilly - when guilt and remorse for Sophia was still clouding his mind and eating away at his insides. Lilly had been an obligation of his, a responsibility. He thought of her as someone he needed to watch over and protect - just like the rest of the group. After realizing just how naive and helpless she truly was, Daryl had felt immense regret for meeting her in the first place. In his mind, she was turning into a replica of Sophia. He'd had it all envisioned in his mind. Lilly would stumble along, a doe in a world of hunters. She'd haunt him with those pure green eyes, only to meet a tragic demise and leave him feeling sicker than he had before.

He'd pictured a walker coming up behind her. It would sink its teeth into her neck and she'd let out a piercing scream. Of course Daryl would send an arrow into the walker's skull and end it quickly, but he'd be too late - just like he had been with Sophia. Scarlet blood would stain Lilly's white skin, dripping down her neck and out of her mouth. She'd fall to the ground, her doe eyes wide with shock and confusion. As her life seeped from the hole in her throat, Lilly would look at Daryl as if asking why this had happened, why he hadn't been able to save her, why she'd been forced to die in such a horrid way. The light would fade from her eyes, a puddle of blood forming a halo around her head. And Daryl wouldn't be able to do anything but watch and curse himself for failing. Failing because Lilly was defenseless and had been depending on him to protect her. Failing because that's what he always did.

"Daryl?" A soft, cold hand touched the skin on Daryl's arm, bringing him out of the the vision with a jolt. He looked up to find Lilly holding a flashlight, the beam reflecting off the tent wall and illuminating her worried face. "Are you okay?"

The words slipped out of Daryl's mouth before he'd even formed them in his mind. "Just glad you're here."

He wanted to snatch the words out of the air and stuff them back inside himself before she could hear, but it was too late. _Why did I say that?_ That was something from a piece of him that nobody had ever seen or was allowed to see. It was from a place inside him that was vulnerable and insecure, somewhere he had worked hard to build strong walls around to make sure that nobody ever knew it existed. And somehow, he had let four words slip that could ruin him. Mentally kicking himself, Daryl watched for Lilly's reaction with bated breath.

Lilly met his eyes with lips puckered in surprise. The little light that there was cast shadows over her heart shaped face, disguising any thoughts that were going through her head. Daryl was tensing, getting ready to bolt out of the tent and avoid her for the rest of his life. But Lilly's full lips gently curved into a gentle smile.

Her voice floated through the air like music, quiet and softer than a feather. "I'm glad you're here too, Daryl."

Daryl was entranced. Nobody had ever told him that before. Sure, he knew he was needed around, but not as a person. He'd always felt that he was worth having because he was strong, because he was an asset. But to be told that his presence made someone _glad_? Because it was him? The words had never been spoken before. And the fact that he had accidently exposed a vulnerable piece of his mind, and Lilly had taken it and treated it with the utmost respect and care rather than laughing or taking advantage of it, caused warmth to flood his chest. He couldn't pull his eyes away from hers. The flashlight pulled shadows from her eyelashes, her green irises catching the light at just the right angle so they were almost glowing.

Lilly wanted to say more, to somehow express how grateful she was for Daryl's presence in her life. But how could she even begin to tell him how important he was? That he was a central part of her survival in this world, and not just because he could hunt or kill walkers? She took in the features of his face, small details like the blue in his eyes and the scruff on his chin stirring a strange feeling in her stomach.

The moment was popped like a bubble by the sound of T-Dog tripping over something outside and swearing loudly. Daryl looked away and kicked off his shoes, letting them fly across the tent with a thud. Lilly sat back, her cheeks flushing when she realized how close they'd been. Clearing her throat, she crawled over to her duffel bag and rifled through it.

She pulled out a nearly empty water bottle and the melatonin Herschel had found for her. Popping a pill in her mouth, Lilly allowed cold water to slide down her throat and ease the furious blush on her cheeks.

Daryl slid into his sleeping bag, clenching his jaw and feeling tense for no apparent reason. He listened to Lilly swallow her water, following the sounds of her putting the bottle back in her duffle bag and zipping it up. What had just happened?

"So," Lilly spoke, her voice sounding distant. "What shift do you have tonight?"

"Last one." Daryl rolled onto his back and rested his head on a hand. "T-Dog will be comin' in to wake me up."

"Do you think I could help out tomorrow night?" Lilly asked.

Daryl snorted in response. "Sorry, princess, you still got a ways to go before you can get put on lookout."

"But I took out my second walker today!" Lilly protested, sliding into her sleeping bag and flopping down with a huff.

"Barely," Daryl replied. "It's not just about being able to nail a walker in the brain. You've gotta have confidence. If you're panicking, you're gonna make stupid choices. And that's the last thing we need."

Lilly sighed, understanding his point. She still needed time. As long as she was scared and hesitating to do what needed to be done, she wasn't awfully reliable. Lilly took a breath before she could get too discouraged, and focused on something else. "Daryl?"

"What?"

"How did you know that deer was close by this morning?" The question had been buzzing around in her head all day. "I mean, I know we saw the track in the mud and all, but how did you know it'd been there less than ten minutes ago?"

Daryl stared up at the dark ceiling of the tent as he replied. "Well for one thing, it was in the mud. And the mud couldn't have been mud for long because the frost had only just started to melt."

"Makes sense," Lilly shrugged to herself. She turned her head to face Daryl, even though she couldn't see him. "Will you teach me how to track? I mean… not that I don't enjoy following you around for hours, but it'd be nice to be a little more useful in the future." She was tired of watching him look at things she couldn't see.

Daryl nodded. "Sure. Next time we go huntin' I'll show you some stuff."

Lilly frowned. "That won't be for a while, thought, huh? Since we got a deer today?"

"Well it wouldn't hurt to make some small trips anyway," Daryl reasoned. "You know, maybe catch some squirrels or rabbits or somethin'."

"Good," Lilly smiled. "I hate waiting…" Her thoughts drifted to something that she was definitely tired of waiting for. "When do you think we'll find somewhere we can stay?"

"...I dunno." Daryl had been thinking about that a lot lately. He respected and trusted Rick, and would follow him for as long as needed, but even he was starting to wonder if the man was ever going to find the satisfaction he was looking for. In a world like this, he wasn't sure it'd ever happen.

Lilly seemed to be thinking the same thing, rolling onto her side and gnawing at her bottom lip. "What if we never find it? What if we end up wandering for the rest of our lives?"

"We won't," Daryl responded immediately. "We'll find somethin', it just might be a while."

Lilly wasn't completely satisfied with the answer, but didn't push it any further. She could tell that Daryl didn't want to think about it, and to be honest, neither did she.

They both fell silent, blinking in the darkness and listening to the sounds of nighttime outside.

Daryl's eyelids started to droop shut, sleep creeping into his subconscious.

"Daryl?"

His eyes shot open, flashing with irritation. Shouldn't that melatonin be knocking her out already? "What now?"

"...Did I really snore last night?"

The question was so unexpected that Daryl couldn't help but burst into an uncharacteristic fit of laughter, chuckling quietly.

A moment later, Lilly spoke up again when he didn't respond. "How bad was it?"

This caused Daryl to laugh harder. Rolling onto his side so his back was to Lilly, he smiled mischievously to himself and let his laughter fade after a bit. "Go to sleep, Lilly."

He heard Lilly sigh with frustration, but she seemed to accept that he wasn't going to give her a straight answer. After adjusting herself in her sleeping bag and curling her knees up to her chest, Lilly shut her eyes.

"Goodnight, Daryl."

"Goodnight, Lilly."


	12. Chapter 12

**Just wanted to give a huge thank you to those who have read/followed the story or have written such kind and uplifting reviews. You have influenced and enhanced my writing experience greatly made me smile _a lot_. I really appreciate the encouragement - it has made all the difference.**

 **Also, if you have any ideas for things you'd like to happen in the story, feel free to PM me! I will welcome and consider any suggestions you have as I continue to write. Thank you!**

Lilly's new life with the group had finally begun to become normal. A pattern fell in place until soon she barely remembered living any other way. While Lilly did not connect to many in the group, she got along well with everyone. Even Lori had found it within herself to accept the girl's presence. Glenn, Maggie, Beth, and Carol were the four people that Lilly got along best with. It probably had something to do with their willingness to welcome her to the group and make her feel welcome in the beginning. Lilly cared very much about them, along with the rest of the group. She was one of them now, and she wanted the best for everyone.

Lilly loved having people around. At times, it could feel stuffy and suffocating, and Lilly was an extreme introvert, but it was nice to have a constant support system around her. Everyone helped each other out with everything. There was never a doubt that someone wouldn't do everything in their power to support and protect each other.

While she'd had her fears and doubts in the beginning, Lilly now had no regrets about leaving her attic. She thanked every deity that existed that she had crossed paths with this group, painfully aware that she had been incredibly lucky. No other group would have been able to get her through as she adjusted to the scary world of the apocalypse. Many out there were robbers and murderers, people who had been driven to immoral strategies in order to survive. After being a witness to such a group, Lilly was that much more grateful for how she'd been blessed.

Daryl Dixon was a central part of Lilly's life. The two had quickly become inseparable. They slept in the same tent, even though Lilly no longer had night terrors thanks to Hercschel's discovery of melatonin. When they weren't traveling, they were always near one another. Daryl would make a beeline from his motorcycle to Lilly, who would likewise gravitate his way as soon as she was out of Glenn and Maggie's car.

As promised, Daryl had started teaching Lilly about tracking and hunting. In the mornings, the pair would head out into the forest before anyone else was awake. Daryl would point out different types of tracks and how to gain information from them. Lilly learned quickly, easily slipping into the role of a tracker. Her perceptiveness and intuition combined with her almost super-human ability to creep silently and swiftly through the forest made her an excellent hunting companion.

When they ran into walkers, Lilly was expected to help in getting rid of them. It was hard and scary for her, but she managed to do so to the best of her ability and was slowly improving. Daryl was always watching cautiously, tensed and ready to step in should Lilly make a mistake or get overwhelmed. But so far, Lilly was holding up her own, using her knife to quickly drop walkers left and right. It was usually after a walker kill that Lilly struggled, feeling sick and not wanting anything to do with the bloody weapon in her hands. Daryl surprisingly took it in stride, reminding her that the walkers were not people, that it was necessary to get rid of them.

The entire group couldn't help but observe Lilly and Daryl's growing relationship with interest. The man was softer around her, and Lilly was more talkative and open. Nobody had really expected it. Daryl was hard and rough, closed off from everyone and everything. Lilly was tender and soft, jumpy and too sensitive for her own good. Yet the two had somehow managed to form an indestructible bond within days of meeting each other.

Four days after Lilly's first week with the group, they were still on the road and growing more and more tired of the never ending drive. Stomachs full of cooked deer, the group had packed up yet another campsite and hopped in their vehicles, another glum day of traveling with no end goal looming ahead.

It didn't help that the weather was always getting worse. People were surprised it hadn't snowed already. Personally, Lilly wished it would. It would certainly help relieve the stress of anticipation.

It was a little before noon, and nobody was happy about travelling that day.

A heavy fog had settled on the road. Daryl led the group into the thick of it, the parade weaving back and forth through the trees. They could barely see a few yards in front of their windshields, the trees only visible up to where branches were starting to grow. An eerie stillness had fallen into the air, the only sounds being the rumble of engines and tires rolling along the gravelly road. All was grey and dull, calm to the point of being unsettling.

Lilly squinted out her car window, barely able to see the side of the road. It was like being trapped in another dimension where nothing was certain. It reminded her too much of her attic – the way she'd only been able to see what was immediately around her, making her oblivious to the outside world. She hated it. The unknown was one of Lilly's greatest fears, and this fog was making it difficult to be sure of anything: where they were going, what was around them, when they'd get out of it. A wave of uncalled for anxiety creeping into her chest, Lilly looked away and leaned her head back, shutting her eyes. She hoped that this fog would go away soon.

Daryl was having a difficult time navigating the road. Since he was in front of the parade of cars, he had nobody to follow to know where to go. So with a tight grip on his bike, he squinted his eyes and sped cautiously down the road, careful to watch for when it turned. Since the road was in the middle of the forest, there was rarely a straight path. It wove through the trees and hills like a snake, never giving Daryl a moment to relax his careful movements as he followed.

After an hour of enduring the exhausting pattern, Daryl was starting to consider pulling to a stop and seeing if they could wait it out. If it kept going much longer, the group could be put in a dangerous situation. They could only stay on their toes for so long. Caution would fade, mistakes would happen, and someone could get hurt.

At the same time, Daryl was fighting the urge to speed up. This fog couldn't go on for that much longer, and maybe if they hurried, they could get out into the clear faster. If they stopped, they might be stuck waiting much longer than if they just kept going. With the cold biting at Daryl's face and seeping under the horse blanket Lilly had given him, he decided to push onward, eager to get somewhere safer and rest.

If anything, the fog only increased. But Daryl could have been imagining it. Growing impatient, he sped up a little, his bike zipping back and forth with the curves of the road. The parade followed, fortunate to have something ahead of them to show them where to go.

Half an hour later, the unthinkable happened.

A brutally sharp turn charged at Daryl from seemingly nowhere. With a jolt, he barely managed to catch it and turn his bike in time before he could fly off the road. But it wasn't over. Before Daryl had time to scold himself for getting careless, a human shape emerged from the fog and hit the side of his bike, sending it skidding on its side down the road. Daryl felt his pants rip and his skin drag across the rough pavement, barely able to process what was happening before he was sent rolling off his bike.

As soon as his body stilled on the asphalt, Daryl looked up with wide eyes to see what he had hit. His stomach dropped.

He was surrounded by a dozen or so walkers, all groaning and gnashing their teeth, and all stumbling towards him hungrily. Their misshapen silhouettes were frightening in combination with the fog. The headlights of Rick's truck cast gnarly shadows over their rotting figures as he screeched to a stop before he could run over Daryl's crashed motorcycle. The other cars all halted behind him, their breaks screaming from the force and abruptness of their stop.

Daryl hoisted himself onto his feet, pain shooting up his leg. His crossbow was still on his motorcycle, but there were two walkers in the way. Swearing, Daryl flipped out his knife and eyed the walkers around him warily as they closed in.

Lilly had nearly hit her head on the seat in front of her when Glenn had slammed the breaks. "What the…" he hissed.

Blinking out the window, Lilly's eyes tried to scan through the fog to see what had happened. There was a vague shape a little bit ahead, but she couldn't make it out. Stepping out of the car with Glenn and Maggie, Lilly walked forward a little bit, her stomach clenching when she heard the tell-tale sounds of walkers moaning. She saw Rick hop out of his car, a knife in his hand.

Pulling her own knife out of her waistband, she jogged past the row of cars ahead. As she got closer, her eyes widened and her heart leapt into her throat. Daryl's bike was on its side on the road, scraped and abandoned. The fact that the hunter's crossbow was on the bike and not in his hands nearly sent Lilly over the edge.

"Daryl!" Lilly called, hopping over the motorcycle and nearly running straight into a walker. Its back was to her, though it turned at the sound of her voice. Before it had time to recognize her presence as fresh meat, Lilly jabbed her knife into its head and sent the creature dropping into a lifeless heap. Blood splashed into her face as she yanked her knife back out.

"Lilly watch out!" Rick called from her left. She turned just in time to see a second walker reaching out for her, its hand clamping down on her wrist. Lilly tried to yank her arm away, but the walker was too strong in spite of its feeble dead nature. Rick came up behind it and took it out, Lilly snatching her arm back as it fell to the ground.

"Thanks," she breathed. Rick didn't hear, already moving to take out another walker.

Minor distraction taken care of, Lilly searched through the fog frantically, her eyes finally locking in on a familiar pair of angel wings. Daryl was fending off two walkers at the same time, using one arm to push one back and the other to stab into the second one's head. He was completely unaware of the walker approaching from behind.

"Daryl, behind you!" Lilly shouted, but he didn't hear. Even if he had, there would have been no way for him to defend himself, his hands still full with the other two walkers. Heart leaping into her throat, Lilly came barreling towards him. A scream was clawing its way into her chest and threatening to burst the closer the walker came. She wasn't sure she was going to make it in time.

The walker's mangled hands landed on Daryl's shoulders and its mouth descended to the back of his neck. With a snarl, Lilly leapt at its side and knocked it to the ground before it could take a bite out of her friend. The walker landed on its back with an unsettling crunch. Lilly didn't give it time to move, crawling up its body and straddling the walker's bony chest, bringing her knife down on its head with a growl. The walker fell still under her, but she stabbed it twice more to assure herself that it really was harmless now.

Looking up from where she sat on the body, she saw Daryl take down a walker and Rick finish the last one off. Silence fell, save for the heavy breathing of people catching their breath, surrounded by rotting corpses. Daryl was a few yards in front of Lilly, turning around and blinking in surprise when he saw her. She was crouched over the dead walker, face spattered with dark blood and a fierce gleam in the whites of her eyes. In that moment, the girl vaguely resembled a wild animal, ready to kill.

Then that fierceness dropped in the blink of an eye, and Lilly was back, her face pale and her eyes wide as she looked at Daryl. With a shaky breath, she got off the walker and stood to her feet. "Daryl…"

Daryl opened his mouth to give the usual spiel about how it was okay, that the walker's weren't people. He was set to calm her down and assure her that she was safe. But the words caught in his mouth as Lilly practically knocked him over and threw her arms around his shoulders, reaching on her tiptoes because of her short height.

"Are you okay?" she asked, hugging him tightly.

Daryl was speechless. He'd never been asked that before. Usually it was him asking someone else.

Lilly pulled out of the hug before he had time to know how to respond, running her hands up and down his arms, her eyes flickering up at his face as she checked him over to take in his injuries. "What happened? Oh gosh, you're bleeding, Daryl." Her hand touched a scratch on his cheek, tentatively trying to wipe some of the blood away but only smearing it across his face. "Sorry – here, give me your rag." She didn't wait for him to grab the rag for her, reaching behind him and yanking it out of his back pocket. Her hands were shaking so bad she was having a hard time unfolding it. "You almost – I thought…"

"Lilly," Daryl tried to say.

Lilly flipped the rag open and started wiping at his face. "I thought that you were a goner – when I saw your crossbow –"

"Lilly –"

"And you're bike's just - Oh your leg, Daryl, that's gonna hurt –"

Daryl batted her hands away from his face. "Lilly, shut your trap, I'm fine!"

Lilly stopped her hovering, finally looking at him directly. Her green eyes were saturated in fear. Biting her trembling bottom lip, she wrung Daryl's rag in her hands. "What happened?"

"Just took a sharp turn, ran into a walker. Nothin' happened, everyone's fine." Daryl was shocked at the amount of concern Lilly was showing for him, a little frustrated when his words didn't seem to calm her at all.

"You're hurt, Daryl…" She reached up to wipe at the blood on his face again, but Daryl smacked her hand away and grabbed the rag out of her hand.

"It's fine. Calm down already, woman. You're actin' like I'm a kicked puppy."

Lilly stepped back, her hands held up in surrender. "You're right, you're right." She took a deep breath. "Sorry."

"Were you really that worried?" Daryl found himself asking as he watched her struggle to relax.

Lilly looked at him like he had grown a second head. "Of course I was. The cars all screech to a stop, I hear a bunch of walkers nearby, and then I see your bike crashed and your crossbow sitting there uselessly… I thought that… I thought you were…" She couldn't even say it, but she kept talking, her nerves spilling out in a jumble of words. "And then I saw a walker behind you, it was about to bite you and I wasn't sure I was gonna be able to stop it in time… It was like when we ran into Cain and his men, and that guy was going to stab you, I couldn't - I can't…" She trailed off as the weight of what she was feeling overwhelmed her, biting her lip and looking at her shoes with a deep breath.

Daryl was completely thrown off by all of this, confused by the warmth growing in his chest and the shock he felt from the unexpected flood of emotions pouring from Lilly. He stared blankly at her, completely at a loss of how to respond. His first instinct was to do or say something mean, something to scare her off before things got any more out of his element. But the look of utter anxiety on her face stopped him.

Lilly's heart finally started to slow down, her hands stopping their violent trembling and her nerves resuming normalcy. She almost wanted to laugh at herself as she realized what a mother hen she was being. "Sorry, Daryl," she breathed, finally bringing herself to look up at him. "It's like I said before... I need you here."

Daryl shook his head in astonishment, tucking his rag in his back pocket. "You don't need to worry about me. I'm not goin' anywhere."

Lilly smiled shakily. "Good."

"And quit apologizin. I don't wanna have to tell you again."

"Noted."

Daryl eyed the walker blood splattered across her pale skin. He pointed to his own face, quietly saying, "You've got a little…"

Lilly touched her face, pulling her fingers away and finding sticky blood. Her expression dropped immediately. "Oh, gross…"

Pulling her sweater sleeve up over her hand, she started wiping at her cheek. It smeared across her skin, droplets starting to dry on her nose and chin. Daryl tried to point them out. "No - right there - you missed a spot - just - ah, nevermind." Pulling his rag back out of his pocket, he spit on it and pushed Lilly's hand away from her face, wiping away the stains off her face for her.

Lilly let him, surprised at the gentleness with which he held her chin and dabbed at her skin. It took a minute, but soon Daryl had managed to clear the walker blood from Lilly's face. He started to tuck the rag back in its pocket, but Lilly snatched it from him, her soft hand brushing against his knuckles. 'Here…" She raised the rag back up to his face to resume wiping the blood from the cut on his cheek, but Daryl ducked out of the way.

"Daryl," Lilly frowned, "Let me help -"

"I can wipe my own face," Daryl defended, snatching the rag from her hand and doing it himself, giving her a pointed look. "See?"

Lilly rolled her eyes at him, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Just trying to help."

"You took a walker out for me," Daryl told her. "I think you've done enough for today."

Lilly gave him a shy smile. "Actually I took out two. And Rick helped."

Daryl opened his mouth to respond, when Rick approached with his hands on his hips. "Everyone okay?"

"Yeah, we're all fine," Daryl told him, irritation flashing across his features. How many times was he going to have to say it before everyone stopped asking? "Took a sharp turn, hit a walker, and crashed. Just a stupid mistake."

"How's your bike?" Rick asked.

Daryl paused, remembering his beloved motorcycle for the first time. With a sigh, he stepped around Lilly and walked towards the bike. Lilly and Rick both watched nervously. Daryl gripped the bike and brought it back up on its wheels. Lilly winced when she saw something hanging off the bike near the engine, clanking loudly. Holding his breath, Daryl attempted to start the engine.

It roared to life, and everyone sighed in relief… Until it sputtered out and fell silent.

Shoulders slumping, Daryl practically chucked the bike back on its side and gave it a kick for a good measure, swearing and cursing under his breath. Lilly watched his miniature tantrum with a crestfallen expression. She knew how much that bike meant to him, the sentimental meaning it held. Biting her lip when Daryl kicked the bike a second time, she nervously stepped forward.

Daryl moved to kick it again, but Lilly placed a hand on his arm. "Daryl, don't." She moved in front of him and carefully pulled his crossbow off his bike. It slipped a little in her grasp. She hadn't expected the weapon to be so heavy. With a new respect for his strength, Lilly gently handed the crossbow to Daryl. Then she turned back to the bike and heaved it upright with effort. "I'm sure it's nothing that can't be fixed."

"Maybe, but we don't have time for that," Daryl grunted. "Gotta keep moving."

Lilly sighed. "Okay, well then we'll take it with us."

"No room."

"Then we'll _make_ room," she snapped. Both Daryl and Rick blinked at her in surprise. Lilly was determined to stay positive, so she straightened her shoulders and fixed Rick with a look. "We can move some of the boxes out of your truck and put it in the back seat of Glenn and Maggie's car with me. Then there should be enough room to squeeze the bike in, yeah?"

Rick thought it over in his head, finally shrugging. "Don't see why not."

"Great," Lilly nodded. "Let's get moving."

Lilly turned on her heel and headed for Rick's truck, Daryl watching her retreating back with awe. This was not the girl he'd met in that attic. Not at all. It was clear as day that Lilly was becoming a survivor. With each moment that Daryl was around Lilly, his respect for her increased rapidly.

Between Lilly, Rick, and Glenn, boxes were moved and the broken motorcycle was stored in the back of Rick's truck. Daryl tried to help, but as the adrenaline faded away, pain throbbed in his leg. His pant leg was ripped and frayed, the skin under having received a harsh case of road rash. Blood was everywhere, nerves raw and exposed. The wind stung the wound. Daryl could hardly stake a step without wincing, though he tried to grit his teeth and endure it anyway. With the help of Carol and Herschel, Lilly managed to bully Daryl into sitting down and taking it easy.

Daryl had finally done so, but he wasn't the least bit happy about it. While Herschel and Beth did what they could to pick bits of gravel out of his skin and clean the wound, he hissed and cursed, repeatedly telling them to leave him be and let him do it himself. Lilly would give him a disapproving glare and he would fall silent, sitting back and clenching his jaw unhappily.

Thanks to the gloves Lilly had gotten him, Daryl's hands had been spared of any major scrapes. The horse blanket had also survived by some miracle. There were a couple tears in the fabric, which Lilly offered to stitch multiple times, but Daryl had already decided he would mend it himself later. He hated having people fuss over him and just wanted to get the whole event behind him.

When it was time to move again, they had to address the matter of finding room for Daryl in one of the vehicles. There was a seat in T-dog's car, and the hunter grudgingly took shotgun. Just before he got in, Lilly came running up to him. "Daryl!"

The hunter turned with a scowl. He'd been asked about his well being well over ten times now, and it had quickly grown old. "For the last time, I'm alright!"

Lilly smiled. "I know you are. I just wanted to let you know - I saved your life a second time. We're even now."

Daryl shook his head, the corners of his mouth twitching. "Yeah, I guess we are."

Lilly brushed some hair out of her face. "I'll see you later. And quit messing with that wrap."

Daryl moved his hand away from his leg, where Hercschel and Beth had wrapped the wound after cleaning it. It itched terribly and was anything but comfortable. Only ten minutes with it on, and he was already on the verge of biting it off. "Yes, mother," Daryl rolled his eyes. "Now quit your babyin'."

"Someone's gotta do it," Lilly winked. With that, she swirled around and got into Glenn and Maggie's car.

Daryl smirked and stepped into T-Dog's car, wincing at the pain in his leg. Rick led the way in his truck, moving much slower now after the accident. The parade continued down the road, finally making it out of the fog a half hour later.

….

When they pulled to a halt that evening, Daryl's leg was itching more than he ever imagined was possible. Despite the discomfort, he was eager to get out of the car and breath in fresh air. Even if it was cold, he missed his motorcycle and hoped that they'd find somewhere to stay long enough for him to fix it.

He had no idea that they were about to find just that.

"Lilly, keep a lookout," Rick ordered.

The girl's face lit up at the words immediately. Daryl frowned, glancing between her and Rick. "Wait - you sure about that?"

"You're injured, Daryl," Rick told him. "She can handle it."

At the sight of Daryl's reluctant expression, Lilly drew her knife. "I'll be careful," she told him. "I promise."

Daryl watched her wander out to the side of the road and a little bit into the forest, scanning the area for walkers or other threats. He knew she was perfectly capable, he had just seen her straddle and kill a walker that day afterall, but he wanted to be helping - just in case. This was the first time Lilly was in a potentially dangerous position without him, and he didn't like it one bit.

As if knowing what he was thinking, Rick eyed Daryl's crossbow. "Why don't you have Herschel check that leg of yours."

The hunter wanted to protest, but it'd been a long day and at this point he was too tired to argue. So he limped over to Herschel in defeat.

Lilly crept around the perimeter of the area while people pulled tents out of their vehicles, preparing for another cold night in a camp. She couldn't help but feel a little excited at this being her first real role as a lookout. While she sensed that Rick only let her because he felt the area was already pretty safe, she was happy about it nonetheless. It was proof that she was progressing, that she was capable of surviving.

Knife in hand, Lilly walked pass the cars and wandered a little further down the road, shivering when a gust of wind blew in. Branches and foliage rustled with the gale, Lilly's hair blowing out of her face. That's when she saw something that made her pause.

A side road made of dirt could be spotted behind a set of overgrown bushes. Curious, Lilly ducked through the plants, dry leaves brushing against her face, and peered down the trail. A wooden sign could be seen a little further down, beaten up and hanging crookedly. Lilly tilted her head and tried to make out the words.

 **Blackforest Retreat**

Retreat? Lilly's spirits brightened at that. From the sign, it appeared that there was a cabin of some sort further down this trail. Perhaps they could stay there for the night - it'd certainly be better than shivering in their tents. Hope growing, Lilly backed out and emerged from the bushes and back onto the road, jogging to where Rick stood by the cars.

"Rick!" she called. "I think I found something!"


	13. Chapter 13

Five minutes later, Glenn and Lilly had worked on pushing the foliage aside so that Rick could drive his truck through. As soon as it had passed onto the gravel road, Glenn and Lilly let go of the bushes and hopped in.

Daryl watched them go, forced to stay behind with the rest of the group. He was quickly growing to loathe everything that existed, frustrated and even a little humiliated. _Stupid walkers_ , he thought grouchily. _Stupid bike. Stupid road. Stupid weather. Stupid Lilly._

Of course, he wasn't at all mad at Lilly. A bit embarrassed since she'd saved his life and definitely envious that she got to go explore the new side road, but not mad. It didn't help that he couldn't stop envisioning every scenario that Lilly could get stuck in. The truck could break down. They could run into walkers. They could get caught by another group like Cain and his men.

Whatever "Blackforest Retreat" was, Daryl hoped it was close by and that Rick, Glenn, and Lilly would return soon.

The truck rumbled along the thin gravel path, rocking and tilting over the bumpy ground riddled with overgrown plants, fallen branches, and rocks. Lilly was squished in between Rick and Glenn, bouncing back and forth against their shoulders like a ping pong ball as the truck jostled them about. Glenn thought it was hilarious, purposely leaning into her so that she was pressed against Rick's arm and unable to move. His laughter stopped after a particularly large bump sent his head into the window with a thump.

They travelled down the side road for a good fifteen minutes. Lilly was quickly growing car sick because of the constant rocking to and fro. Just when she was starting to worry that she might throw up, the thick trees cleared and revealed something that made her jaw drop.

Rick stopped the truck and got out, Lilly and Glenn sliding out after him, their eyes shining with new hope.

Before them stood a huge, beautiful cabin. With two levels, and big enough to house twenty people, it rested on a yard of long green grass, untouched and heavenly. Its brown walls were chipped from the weather, the windows dusty and covered with white curtains, but it still stood strong, promising safety and security inside. The best part about it was the massive steel fence that surrounded the yard, complete with sharp rods on the top and bars to keep people from climbing over them. Intruders and walkers alike would have a hard time getting past them with the proper reinforcement.

"No way…" Glenn breathed.

Rick stepped towards the solid iron gate, closing his hand around a bar in an almost trancelike state. His eyes were glazed over as he stared at all the potential this place had. "It's perfect."

"Do you think anyone is in there?" Lilly asked. She hoped against all hopes that the place was empty. If it was, maybe they could stay there and rest all winter if they needed. And from the gleam in Rick's eyes, maybe the eternal road trip could finally end.

Rick stepped back and drew his gun. "Only one way to find out."

He took in the thick chains wrapped around the gate, sealed by a large padlock. Giving them a good shake, it was plain to see that while they were rusty, they weren't going to budge. While Rick continued to pull at them, testing for a weak spot, Glenn backed up to the truck. "I'll grab the bolt cutters." He disappeared behind the truck, the sounds of him rustling through the trunk echoing in the excited silence.

A moment later, Glenn returned with a pair of bolt cutters in his hands and handed them to Rick. The ex-cop fixed the cutters around the chain and pushed them shut with all the strength he had. The chain broke with a snap. Together, Lilly and Glenn worked to unwrap the heavy metal strands and dropped them on the ground while Rick ran the bolt cutters back to his truck.

With bated breath, Rick came back and grasped the gate, slowly swinging it open. Its rusty hinges creaked and complained loudly, having not been used in a long time. Both Lilly and Glenn winced at the sound, drawing their weapons and tensing in case someone heard.

When nothing happened but the wind blowing through the overgrown grass, the trio stepped onto the property. They walked quickly and cautiously until the reached the front door of the cabin, all the while checking over their shoulders and listening for threats. Rick exchanged a look with Glenn and Lilly, adjusting his gun in his hands before kicking the door open and rushing inside. Glenn and Lilly followed warily, pausing just past the threshold.

They all kept silent, but heard nothing. Particles of dust floated through the air, nautical and increasing the sense of neglect in this place. Lilly glanced up the lovely set of stairs leading to the second floor, her eyes flickering to the tall ceiling and fancy oil painting hanging on the walls.

Jerking his head so that they'd follow, Rick led Glenn and Lilly down the entrance hall, turning into a kitchen. It was the biggest, most beautiful kitchen Lilly had seen in a long time. A vase of fake flowers sat on a mahogany table. Granite counters lined the walls, complete with cabinets and an oven. A tall sink sat under a window, which was currently blocked by a flowy white curtain. The ground was covered in stone tiles. Everything was spotless, and if it wasn't for the dust coating every surface, Lilly would have thought it was brand new.

Seeing that there was nobody in the kitchen, Rick led them back out and peered into a bathroom across the hall. It was small, but again beautiful with stone tiles and a granite counter, untouched. Further down the hall was what appeared to be a living room of sorts. A fireplace stood on one end of the room, surrounded by three large plush couches. They looked so soft and inviting, it was all Lilly could do to not plop down on one. More oil paintings decorated the white walls, and fake green plants accented the corners and the glass coffee table next to a couch. Again, the place was spotless, and Lilly regretted having her dirty shoes on the clean sandy carpet.

There were four bedrooms on the first floor. Each was complete with elegantly made dressers and beds complete with silky sheets and fluffy pillows. Lilly ached to lay on one. It would be a nice change from the lumpy ground she'd been sleeping on for the past week. With each room they searched, Lilly's excitement and hope was growing.

The second floor held six more bedrooms - three of them with queen sized beds and all appearing to be equally abandoned and unused. There was also two more bathrooms, both containing luxurious looking showers.

Glenn reached out and tested a sink, his face lighting up with glee when water sputtered out of the faucet. "Running water…" he whispered excitedly. Lilly grinned widely at that. It would be so nice to take a shower.

Rick wandered through the cabin as if hypnotized. They searched high and low and found no sign of anyone living there. In fact, it appeared that nobody had been in the cabin for a long time - probably before the apocalypse happened. On bedside tables sat Blackforest Retreat brochures, telling him that this was once a rental vacation home of sorts. That meant that everything was clean and ready for them to 'move in'. It was too good to be true.

"What are you thinking, Rick?" Glenn asked.

Rick looked between him and Lilly, the first genuine smile in ages pulling at the corners of his lips. "I think… I think we could stay here."

…

Thoroughly energized by the excitement of their find, Rick, Glenn, and Lilly hopped back in the truck and went back down the gravel road to tell the others. None of them could keep the broad smiles off of their faces as they imagined what this could mean for the group. For the first time in ages, they were being presented with the chance to live securely. No more traveling day by day, always wondering where they were going to sleep that night and where they were even going. No more bone crushing exhaustion. No more being overwhelmed with uncertainty. Whatever the great solution was that Rick had dragged the group around in search of, it seemed that he had finally found it.

Nothing could ruin Lilly's good mood, not even the carsickness as they jostled along the road back. When they emerged from the foliage and back onto the main road, the group watched anxiously.

Daryl, who'd been sitting on the hood of T-Dog's car, hopped off, wincing at the pain that shot up his leg as he did so. He limped up to the truck, watching the three get out with considerably happy expressions. They were safe, he sighed with secret relief. Lilly was beaming as she slid out of the truck and shut the door behind her, her eyes meeting Daryl's as she came up to him.

"What was it?" Daryl asked.

"Something amazing," Lilly answered. For the first time, Daryl noticed the single dimple that sat on her right cheek when she smiled big enough.

"Everyone gather your stuff and get back in your vehicle's," Rick instructed. "Lilly's found us a place to stay."

"For how long?" Lori asked, her brows knitting in confusion. None of the group had caught on to just how exciting the discovery was, but it was only a matter of time before they were just as thrilled as Rick.

Rick clapped a hand on Carl's shoulder and smiled at her. "All winter. Maybe longer."

"Really?" Carl's eyes widened with glee as he looked up at his father.

"You mean it?" Maggie looked at Glenn for affirmation. Nobody could process the good news they were being given.

"I'm telling you the truth, I think we really found it," Rick assured them happily. "Come on, you can see it for yourselves."

With a new sense of urgency, the group stuffed their tents back in their cars and followed Rick's truck up the dirt road. Lilly was almost bouncing in her seat with excitement, smiling at Maggie's expression when they got back to the cabin.

"It's beautiful," Maggie breathed with round eyes. Glenn barely had time to stop the car before Lilly was jumping out and practically skipping to T-Dog's car.

Daryl stepped out, his blue eyes fixed on the cabin, scanning over it disbelievingly. Lilly nudged his arm with her elbow, grinning up at him. "So? It's good, right?"

Daryl had no response but to swear under his breath. Lilly giggled and hopped up and down on the balls of her feet, enraptured with the happiness blooming among the group. "You found this?" the hunter suddenly asked her.

Lilly shrugged awkwardly. "Well I found the road, not the actual cabin -"

"Lilly, you're a genius," he told her, a genuine smile hinting at the corners of his mouth as he tore his eyes away from the cabin and looked down at her.

Lilly looked down shyly and shuffled her feet, her smile threatening to tear her face it was so big and permanent.

Rick swung the gate open, not cringing this time when it squeaked loudly. "Drivers, pull your cars in. Everyone get your stuff and pick a room - there's ten of 'em so almost everyone can have a room to themselves if they want."

The group animatedly got to work. Once the cars were parked on the property in front of the cabin, Rick chained the gate back up. Everyone grabbed their things out of their vehicles and stepped into the cabin. Their jaws dropped at how clean the place was, as if it had been made just for them and was awaiting their arrival.

Boxes of canned food and bottled water were set on the kitchen counter tops. Carol eagerly set to work putting them in the empty cabinets, organizing all of their supplies in the kitchen. Everyone took a bedroom for themselves except for Rick and Lori, and Glenn and Maggie, who both shared two of the rooms with a queen sized bed.

Lilly felt a heavy weight fall on her shoulder and was tipped off balance, nearly falling sideways into the wall. She looked down to find a familiar duffel bag. Turning, Lilly found Daryl loading his crossbow. "I'mma walk around outside, check the fence for weak spots," the hunter told her. "Find me a good room."

"Will do," Lilly nodded, hoisting his heavy bag more securely on her shoulder.

Daryl gave her a smirk. "You did good, princess." With that, he lumbered down the hall and out of the cabin, leaving Lilly biting back a pleased smile.

Seeing as the bottom four bedrooms had been taken, Lilly wandered up the stairs and down the hall, coming to the room at the very end that had been unclaimed. It was secluded and quieter than the rest of the house, and Lilly decided that it would suit Daryl just as well as any other room. With a grunt, she let his duffel bag slide off her shoulder and onto the bed, then left to find her own room.

The one across from Daryl was also empty, and Lilly stepped inside with a sigh. Setting her own bag on the bed, she spun around in a circle with a vague expression. It was strange to have her own space like this, and despite the peaceful air and security, a small frown was working its way onto Lilly's face. It was closed off from the outside world, reminding her far too much of her attic.

In an effort to shake off the feeling, Lilly went to the window and pulled the thick white curtain out of the way so that sunlight came streaming in. Dust seemed to explode from the fabric and invade her lungs as she did so. Lilly coughed it out and blinked rapidly, waiting for the dust to settle. Looking outside, she saw that she had a view of the side of the property.

Her eyes locked in on Daryl, who was wandering next to the fence slowly, stopping every once and a while to push on a rod and test its strength. Even in this moment of ecstasy for the group, his first priority was to make sure that everyone really was safe. Lilly smiled at the sight.

Turning away and looking between her new bed and dresser, a few tasks came to her mind that she knew she had to get done that day. The first was to shower. Pulling some clean clothes out of her duffel bag, Lilly slipped her shoes and socks off and padded out of her room to the bathroom two doors away. Fortunately for her, none of the other group members had caught on to the fact there was running showers yet, so she slipped in and shut the door behind her.

Lilly nearly jumped in alarm when she came face to face with a mirror. When was the last time she'd properly looked at her own reflection? The sight that met Lilly's eyes was one that brought mixed feelings of shock and a little disappointment.

She was so was the first thing Lilly noticed. Her green eyes were sunken, her cheeks hollowed out, her face gaunt. Tangled brown hair hung limply from her scalp, nearly reaching her waist in a dry, dirty mess. As Lilly stared at the strange girl in the mirror, she couldn't help but sigh sadly. Had she really been walking around looking like _this_? Was this what the group saw of her? What Daryl saw? Humiliation snaked uncomfortably around her stomach.

Biting her lip, Lilly tore her eyes away from the mirror and stripped off her clothes, letting them fall in a dirty heap at her feet. When she looked back up at her reflection, Lilly's self-consciousness only increased.

Her body had wasted away - all ribs and hip bones and wrists. Skin and bone. As Lilly took in what little remained of her, her eyes started to tingle. Once, Lilly had felt that she looked decent. With silky chocolate waves of hair and killer curves, the girl had taken pride in her appearance. She'd felt worth something. And while it was shallow - especially in today's world - Lilly couldn't help but feel a part of herself crack when she saw what she'd become.

The girl in the mirror was not healthy. She was not strong, or beautiful, or fierce. Barely even average. Nothing.

Lilly squeezed her eyes shut, cursing when the sickly sight of her reflection still burned in her mind. _Don't think like that_ , she told herself firmly. _You don't have room to think like that_. It was true. With things like walkers, hostile survivors, hunting down food, and finding shelter on the line, appearances and what people thought about her should be the least of Lilly's worries.

Remembering the reason she was there, Lilly avoided looking at the mirror and stepped into the shower. The sight of brand new bottles of soaps and shampoos pushed all thoughts of her appearance behind. Lilly picked them up and uncapped them all, breathing in their luxurious flowery scents. Then she turned to the faucet and grasped the handle, praying it would work.

With a turn of the handle, icy water sputtered from the showerhead and drenched Lilly. She gasped at the coldness and automatically turned the handle so that it was hot before remembering that there probably wasn't a working water heater anymore. So gritting her teeth, Lilly showered quickly.

In spite of the cold, it still felt wonderful as she lathered her hair and body with soaps, scrubbing the grime from her skin with a smile. When Lilly stepped out, she grabbed a fluffy white towel to dry herself with, feeling pampered beyond belief. After rubbing the soft material over her skin, Lilly worked on her hair.

For once, Lilly wished her hair wasn't so thick. It soaked up water like a sponge and didn't dry easily. So Lilly reverted to a tactic she'd used before the end of the world and wrapped the towel around her head like a turban. Then she proceeded to put on her clothes - an oversized grey sweater and a pair of black skinny jeans.

Feeling fresh and rejuvenated, Lilly walked out of the bathroom and right into Daryl. "Oh! Hi."

Daryl squinted at the towel wrapped around her head. "What're you wearin'?"

"A towel," Lilly blushed, adjusting it on her head. When that didn't seem to clear anything up for Daryl, she added, "So my hair can dry, 'cause it takes a while…"

Daryl looked her up and down, still thoroughly confused, but shrugged it off with a grunt. He started walking down the hall like he had before Lilly had run into him. She padded after him.

"I put your bag in the room at the end."

"Where's your room?" Daryl asked as he walked.

Lilly paused at the question in surprise, before shaking her head and answering. "Across from yours."

"Good."

As they got closer to Daryl's room, Lilly pointed him to the right one. He stepped in and set his crossbow on the bed next to his bag while Lilly leaned against the door frame. "So how was the fence? Is it secure?"

"Couldn't find a weak spot nowhere," Daryl responded.

Lilly smiled in relief, hugging herself. "Think we'll be safe here?"

"It's the safest place we've been since Hershel's farm, that's for sure."

Lilly's smile faded a little when she remembered what happened to Hershel's farm. Maggie's words from Lilly's first day out of the attic echoed in her mind. " _Walkers showed up one night - more than I'd ever seen. Couldn't even begin to count them. One minute, the farm is safe, the next, there's walkers everywhere. Hundreds of them, and only a handful of us."_

What if that happened to them? They'd only had the place for an hour or two, and already Lilly was terrified of losing it.

Daryl could see Lilly's face fall with dark thoughts. He quietly stepped towards her and leaned on the other side of the door, crossing his arms. "What're you thinkin'?"

Lilly looked up at him, worrying at her bottom lip. "I'm thinking… about what happened to Hershel's farm. Maggie told me… I don't want that to happen here."

Daryl bit at the corner of his thumb. To be honest, the same thing had been lingering in the back of his own mind. "Look, what happened at that farm - it could happen anywhere. And I can't promise that this place is gonna work out for long. What I do know is that this time we aren't stupid enough to convince ourselves that it's all sunshine and daisies. Whatever happens, we'll deal with it, just like we always do. And as long as we do have this place, we might as well make the most of it."

Lilly sighed and forced a smile. "Okay."

Daryl lifted himself from his place leaning against the door frame. "Good." He lightly hit her shoulder. "Now quit worryin'. Today was a good day."

Lilly nodded at his words. Shrugging in her sweater, she moved on to other topics. "Yeah, pretty good day - other than you almost dying and whatnot. How's your leg -"

"Don't say it," Daryl stopped her with a hard look. "One more person asks about my leg, I'll break their little fingers."

"Alright," Lilly rolled her eyes. "Sheesh, sorry -"

"And no apologizin' for you."

"Got it."

"And get rid of that stupid turban."

Lilly laughed and stepped back, turning on her heel and going into her room across the hall. "No can do. My hair's dripping. I still need it."

"Ya' look like some wannabe witch doctor."

"Maybe I am one," Lilly teased as she disappeared into her room to organize her clothes and put them in her new dresser.

Daryl shook his head with a chuckle and left, heading downstairs to get the fireplace started.

People were in high spirits for the rest of that day, laughing and smiling and joking as they revelled in being freshly showered and surrounded by comfy furniture. Lori and Carol cooked up some of the deer, along with several cans of tomato soup. Everyone ate in the kitchen, taking advantage of the plates and forks they'd found. It was strange to sit around a table, but not in a bad way.

Rick watched with a small smile constantly on his face, his eyes twinkling with fulfillment and satisfaction that had been lacking for months. He looked better this way, softer and more hopeful.

Everyone went to bed early that night, eager to sleep on real mattresses with real blankets and sheets. Watches were set, Daryl volunteering to take the first one. While everyone headed to their new rooms, Daryl retrieved his crossbow from where he'd set it on his bed. As he exited, he spotted Lilly slipping into her room, shutting the door behind her.

Daryl considered knocking on her door, but then he wasn't even sure why. He didn't have anything to say or do. So with knotted eyebrows, the hunter headed outside.

He spent the hours walking laps around the cabin, moving along the outer side of the property by the fence. The night was uneventful, the most exciting thing to happen being an occasional gust of frigid wind. The sky was completely black, storm clouds having covered the moon and stars.

Even though he was freezing and pain was shooting up his injured leg, Daryl was glad for the time to just walk - or limp - in silence and process the day. He had the same fears as Lilly - that this place was too good to be true and that it'd be snatched away from them sooner than they were ready for, but he was also confident that, whatever happened, things would work out. He had to believe that.

When Rick came out to replace Daryl, the hunter went back inside and limped up the stairs. He moved into his room, setting his crossbow on the dresser. But as Daryl laid back on his bed, something felt off. Daryl shut his eyes and and took a deep breath, trying to sleep. He tossed and turned, but the night stretched on and sleep refused to come. With a huff, Daryl opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling.

He assumed it was the strangeness of sleeping in a bed for once, but that didn't seem to be it. Maybe he should steal some of Lilly's melatonin and -

Ah. Lilly.

Shutting his eyes and suppressing a groan, Daryl realized why he felt off. Lilly was sleeping across the hall, and he was missing the sounds of her soft breathing as she slept. But what could Daryl do about that? It wasn't like he was a little boy missing a teddy bear. There was no way he was going into Lilly's room just so he could sleep.

Just as Daryl was resolving to a long night of either lying awake or enduring nightmares, his door opened. He sat up with a jolt, automatically in defense mode.

In the darkness, he watched with confusion as a mattress came sliding in. Behind the mattress appeared Lilly. As soon as he saw her, Daryl relaxed and stood up, helping her slide the mattress the rest of the way into the room. "What're you doin?" he asked in a whisper.

Lilly didn't answer, moving the mattress and flopping it on its side next to Daryl's bed. She abruptly turned around and exited the room, leaving Daryl standing there with a frown. A moment later, Lilly reentered, thick blankets bundled in her arms with a pillow. Lilly stood before Daryl, shuffling her feet nervously. "Couldn't sleep."

Daryl sighed, secretly relieved that she wanted to sleep in his room. Her being there meant that he'd sleep soundly tonight.

Taking the bundle of blanket from Lilly's arms, he dropped them on the mattress on the floor. "You can take the bed."

Lilly hugged her pillow to her chest when he reached out to take it from her. "No, Daryl, it's your bed. I'm fine with the -"

"We're both tired, just save us some time and take the bed so we can both sleep," Daryl mumbled.

Lilly hesitated a moment before nodding, finally handing him the pillow. She stepped over the mattress on the ground and hopped onto Daryl's bed, slipping under the covers and lying back with a sigh. Daryl proceeded to arrange the blankets on the mattress on the floor and flopped down on it.

Lilly rolled onto her side, watching him get comfortable, before smiling contentedly and shutting her eyes. "Goodnight, Daryl."

Daryl smiled at the sound, feeling much better. This was how things should be. "Goodnight, Lilly."


	14. Chapter 14

Lilly woke the next morning, stretching and snuggling into the soft warm bed under her. Peeling her eyes open, she smiled at the sunlight streaming from behind the white curtain. This was heavenly.

A soft snore reminded her of the man sleeping on the floor next to the bed. Lilly scooched to the edge of her mattress and peered down at Daryl, who was out like a log. Now that she thought about it, she'd never seen Daryl asleep before. Even though she'd slept in the same tent as him for several nights, he'd always been the one to wake up first. Daryl was sprawled out on his stomach, blankets tangled around his legs. While he still wore his clothes from the day before, his leather jacket was gone, revealing the sleeveless shirt he wore under. Lilly couldn't help but let her eyes run over his arms, staring in awe at the lean muscles. She didn't see them often, but they left an odd fluttery feeling in her stomach.

Shaking herself of the strange sensation, Lilly brought her gaze up to Daryl's face. He looked so serene, the harsh lines having been smoothed away by unconsciousness. The seemingly permanent scowl was gone, and Lilly had a feeling that not very many people had the chance to see him like this. Lilly was glad she got to - she liked him this way. Less intimidating, more gentle.

Laughter from downstairs travelled to Lilly's ears. With a long stretch and a yawn, she reluctantly pulled herself from the warmth of the bed, resting her sock covered feet on the mattress on the floor. As carefully as she could, Lilly hopped over Daryl's sleeping figure, landing on the ground as quietly as a mouse. She looked over her shoulder, sighing in relief when all he did was snore again.

Lilly padded into her room across the hall and pulled on her boots over the black leggings she'd been wearing that night. Then she threw on a blue hoodie over her white T-Shirt and tied her hair into a loose french braid. Down the stairs and in the living room she found Lori and Rick sitting on one of the couches while Carol made a pot of oatmeal with the fireplace.

"Good morning," T-Dog came walking in behind Lilly, clapping his hand on her back as he stepped around her and flopped down onto one of the couches.

"Morning," Lilly yawned happily.

"You looked outside yet?"

Lilly furrowed her brows and shook her head. She followed the sound of Carl and Beth laughing out of the living room and down the hall to the back door. As she opened it and looked outside, her jaw dropped.

At some point in the night, snow had blanketed every surface in sight. The ground was piled at least a foot high with white, and flakes continued to flutter from the sky merrily.

"Good thing we found this place when we did," Maggie said from behind Lilly. Lilly turned and nodded in agreement before stepping outside.

A snowflake landed on her nose, and Lilly looked up at the sky while a bright smile illuminated her pale face. She stepped into the snow with a small laugh. Lilly had always loved the snow. It made the world seem magical in a quiet way. Thanks to their discovery of Blackforest Retreat, Lilly now got to enjoy the snow rather than endure it.

An explosion of cold on her chest brought Lilly out of her entransed state of ecstasy. She tore her eyes from the sky to find a smirking Carl several yards away, his eyes glinting mischievously. He looked youthful for once, like a little boy should.

With a playful growl, Lilly leapt after him. Carl shouted in alarm and bolted away, kicking snow up behind him as he ran. Lilly laughed and grabbed a handful of snow from the ground, quickly patting it into a ball and chucking it at Carl. The little boy watched it land a few feet away from him and laughed loudly. "You throw like a sissy!"

Lilly giggled and started working on another snowball. "Don't test me…" She threw another one his way and it nicked his shoulder.

With a laugh, Carl returned the attack and nailed her right in the face. Lilly gasped at the cold and brushed the snow off, blinking flakes out of her eyes and trying to regain her vision while Carl guffawed in the background. As soon as her face was clear of snow, Lilly found Carl and came charging at him. "You'll pay for that, buddy boy!"

She chased Carl around the yard, Beth and Maggie both watching and laughing at the sight. Carl was fast, but Lilly was faster. With almost predatory speed, Lilly caught up to the boy and leapt at him so that they both fell into the snow.

"Okay, okay I'm sorry!" Carl gasped between fits of laughter as Lilly pinned him down. "Lemme go, I'm sorry!"

Lilly relented and released him, rolling onto her back next to him and lying on the soft white ground. "Snow angel!"

Carl stood up, brushing snow off of himself, and watched her wave her arms back and forth. "That's for kids."

"Not anymore," Lilly grinned up at him, not stopping creating her snow angel. With a laugh, Carl eventually flopped down next to her and started his own snow angel.

Up in the cabin, the laughter outside had woken Daryl up. He frowned when he looked up and saw that Lilly was no longer in the room, disentangling himself from blankets and standing up. When more shrieks and giggles floated through the air, he went to the window and pulled the curtain aside.

The window revealed Lilly, Carl, Beth, and Maggie all running around, chucking snowballs at each other. Daryl automatically focused on Lilly, who was smiling brighter than the sun. He watched as she dodged a snowball from Maggie and chucked one at Beth, missing by a long shot. She had terrible aim, but she didn't seem to care in the slightest. Lilly whirled around and caught Carl just before he knocked her to the ground, laughing loudly. It was the nicest sound Daryl had heard in a long time.

Lilly rolled off the ground and pelted Carl with snow, only surrendering when he managed to get up and hide behind Beth. The two gained up on Lilly, firing snowballs at her faster than she could defend herself. As snow smashed into her, Lilly ducked behind her arms and tried to cover her face. Her laughter was contagious, pulling Daryl's own mouth in a small smile.

Soaked and covered in snow, nose and cheeks red from the cold, and snowflakes dusting her eyelashes, Lilly was absolutely radiant. Fondness for the girl swelled in Daryl's chest. Who would have thought that the mousy little attic girl would grow to be such an important part of his life? Daryl had never anticipated any of this - not the constant concern for her wellbeing, or the way his breath caught in his lungs when she'd smile at him, or how he'd find himself gravitating towards her.

 _Settle down there_ , Daryl scolded himself. _She's just a girl_. Not that he actually thought that, but he needed to convince himself before she took over his life. Blocking Lilly's smiling face from view with the curtain, Daryl pulled his boots on and grabbed his crossbow, heading downstairs to eat.

Lilly came wandering back inside with Carl, Beth, and Maggie, all shivering and soaked but happy. Eager to get out of her wet clothes, she skipped up the stairs and changed into jeans and her grey sweater, retying her french braid before coming back down stairs. In the kitchen, Carol was serving bowls of hot oatmeal. Lilly took one with a thanks and went to the living room to eat by the warm fireplace.

Daryl was already there, hunched over his own bowl of oatmeal. Lilly plopped down onto the couch next to him, relishing in the warmth of the nearby fire. "Goodmorning. Did you see it snowed?"

"Sure did," Daryl replied, remembering the sight of her playing with Carl. "Good thing you found this place when you did."

Lilly smiled. "That's what Maggie said too."

Daryl finished eating in silence, content to sit in Lilly's company. Lilly leaned back on the couch, kicking off her boots and curling up against the armrest with her bowl. "So now what?"

Daryl squinted at her. "What'dya mean, now what?"

Lilly shrugged. "Well… we don't have to go anywhere. We have food. We have fences… What do we do now?"

Daryl thought about that. It was a little strange to have a day without the pressure of finding food or shelter or taking out walkers. That's all anyone had known for a while. "We do whatever we want, I guess."

An idea came to mind, and Daryl stood up to put his empty bowl back in the kitchen. Lilly scooted up on the couch. "Wait, where are you going?"

"To fix my bike," Daryl responded.

"What about your leg?"

Daryl rolled his eyes. "I dunno, what about it?"

Lilly huffed in annoyance at his constant need to act 'manly' about everything. She set her oatmeal aside and stood up. "Sit back down."

"Why?"

"Just sit, Daryl." Daryl scowled and did as he was asked. Lilly knelt in front of him and started rolling his pant leg up. Daryl flinched at her touch uncomfortably. "What're you doin'?"

"Checking your road rash," Lilly responded. "You need to change the bandage every day."

"Didn't know you were a doctor now," Daryl grunted.

"I'm not," Lilly retorted. "Hershel told me."

"He didn't tell me that."

"That's because he knew you wouldn't listen."

Lilly got Daryl's pant leg rolled up to his knee and started poking at the bandage, trying to find where the wrapping ended. Once she found the corner, she got to work unwrapping it from around Daryl's leg. Daryl grit his teeth as fresh air stung the raw wound. Lilly unwrapping the bandage revealed red, raw skin with a few bits of gravel still embedded in it.

"Yikes," Lilly muttered under her breath. "That's gotta hurt."

"S' fine," Daryl lied between his teeth.

"I'll be right back." Lilly hopped up and disappeared out of the living room.

As soon as she was out of hearing range, Daryl swore and grimaced at the pain. The slightest breeze stung, and he hoped that it would heal quickly. A thin scab was already forming over the wound, giving him hope. At the sound of Lilly's footsteps pattering back into the room, Daryl quickly schooled his features into an expression of indifference.

"Okay…" Lilly now had one of Hershel's medical bags with her, and knelt back down in front of Daryl as she opened it. He watched her rifle through the bag, biting her lip and producing a pair of tweezers.

"That's not a bandage," Daryl said slowly.

"No…" Lilly gave him an apologetic look. "There's still a lot of gravel stuck in your leg - we should try to get as much of it out as possible before it gets infected."

She started to move in, but Daryl jerked his leg away. "Whoa, whoa, I don't want you jabbin that thing into my leg."

"Daryl -" Lilly started.

"Let Hershel do it - he's the doctor," Daryl insisted.

"Hershel's still sleeping," Lilly replied.

"Still?"

"He's old, let him rest." At Daryl's hesitant expression, Lilly rolled her eyes. "C'mon, I'm just as capable as anyone else."

Daryl considered her, finally leaning back with a huff. "Make it quick."

Adjusting the tweezers in her hand, Lilly leaned forward and carefully prodded at the biggest grain of gravel. Daryl didn't budge, though he clenched his jaw tighter as she prodded a little harder. It would be gnarly, but Lilly decided she could get the bit of gravel out. Gnawing on her lip, she yanked at it.

"Ouch!" Daryl hissed with a jolt. "A little warning next time!"

"Don't be such a baby," Lilly teased, hoping to distract him.

"Says the girl who can't skin a squirrel without puking." Daryl took the bait, giving her a harsh retort.

Lilly concentrated on getting the gravel out, snapping back distantly. "Excuse you, I have not puked _once_ since we met."

Daryl started to retort. "Well you sure -"

"Done!" Lilly announced, sitting back on her heels and showing Daryl the bloody piece of gravel in her tweezers. Daryl blinked, surprised she'd gotten it out so quickly. He started to relax, until Lilly dropped the gravel in her hand and leaned back in. "Just a few more to go…"

While it was painful, Lilly made a quick work of cleaning out what was left of the asphalt in Daryl's leg. Now that they had plenty of time, she wanted to make sure the road rash healed right. Daryl had not expected her to be so calm about it all, though he supposed that she'd now seen enough and a nasty case of road rash wasn't so bothersome anymore.

Once Lilly had picked any remaining bits of dirt and gravel from the wound, she went back to Hershel's medical back and grabbed a tube of neosporin. She squeezed a generous amount over the wound, then used her finger to gently spread it over Daryl's leg. He hissed as the touch stung his skin, but again, Lilly worked quickly. Once his leg was thoroughly coated with disinfectant, Lilly fished a role of bandaging from Hershel's bag and wrapped it back up.

Reaching the end of the role, Lilly tied the bandage and sat back with a satisfied smile. "There you go. We'll do it again tomorrow."

"Great," Daryl deadpanned sarcastically as he rolled his pant leg back down over the bandage. "Can't wait."

Lilly smirked and zipped Hershel's medical bag back up. "You gonna go work on your bike now?"

"Yup." Daryl stood and left the living room, Lilly following him down the hall.

"Can I help?"

"Do you know how to?"

"No."

Lilly dropped Hershel's bag off in the kitchen before scampering after Daryl. "You could teach me though," she suggested.

Daryl stepped out the front door, striding out to Rick's truck. Lilly smiled at the sight of the snow, kicking it lightly as she followed behind her friend. She was tempted to throw a snowball at Daryl, but resisted since she was trying to act useful. Not to mention she'd just gotten dry clothes on and didn't want to get wet again just yet.

"Hop up here and help me get this bike out," Daryl pointed at the truck. Lilly stepped on one of the back tires and swung into the trunk in front of Daryl's bike while he opened the back. The two worked together - Lilly pushing the bike out of the trunk while Daryl took hold of it and lowered it to the ground. Once the bike's wheels safely touched the snowy floor, Daryl extended a hand to Lilly. She took it and hopped off the truck. The feel of his rough, calloused hand enfolded around hers made her cheeks heat up for some reason.

Luckily, Daryl had let go and was closing the back of the truck before he could notice. For the first time ever, Lilly was grateful that the cold flushed her face, disguising the blush that was now staining her cheeks. She followed Daryl as he rolled the motorcycle through the snow and around to the back of the cabin. There was a small overhanging roof in the back that provided a patch of ground the snow hadn't covered. Daryl propped his bike up in the spot and knelt down to examine the damage.

Lilly watched, her breath puffing in in white clouds. After a moment, Daryl looked up at her and gestured. "There should be a toolbox in Rick's truck somewhere."

"I'll grab it," Lilly told him, eager to help in any way possible. She hopped back into the snow and jogged around the cabin to Rick's truck. Jumping into the trunk again, Lilly looked around at the supplies still stored there. Most of the stuff had been taken inside the cabin, but a few things remained like tents and - to Lilly's relief - a toolbox.

It was heavier than she expected, but Lilly managed to heave the box into her arms and slide out of the trunk, making her way back to Daryl. She returned to the back of the cabin and set the toolbox down next to Daryl, stuffing her hands in her pockets to fight off the cold. From the way Daryl was sorting through the tool box and eyeing his beloved motorcycle, she could tell they'd be out here for a while.

"Be right back." Lilly headed inside the cabin and went up the stairs to her room. She fished through her drawers and pulled out a second red sweater to layer over her grey one. Then she went into Daryl's room and grabbed his gloves from where he'd thrown them on top of his dresser, along with the horse blanket. On the way back outside, Lilly grabbed an empty box from the kitchen that used to have canned food in it.

When she got back to Daryl, she wordlessly handed him his horse blanket and gloves, then set the empty box next to him and sat on it. Daryl nodded in thanks, throwing the horse blanket over his head and slipping his gloves on.

Lilly watched in silence as Daryl got to work repairing his bike. Daryl kept asking her to hand him certain tools, but it took her several tries because she had no idea what he was talking about. After the fourth time this happened, Daryl huffed. "Sheesh, woman, how don't you know any of this?"

"I can't make heads or tails of what you're doing," Lilly told him apologetically. "Mechanics were never my thing." Daryl shrugged, squinting at something on his bike. Curiosity got the better of Lilly. "Is that what you did before all this? Were you a mechanic?"

Daryl grunted noncommittally. "Sometimes."

"What else did you do?"

Daryl didn't answer for a long time, focusing on the task at hand. Wiping grease from hands, he pulled the toolbox away from Lilly and started rifling through the toolbox instead of asking her to do it. Lilly waited quietly, blowing hot breath onto her fingers to warm them.

When Daryl did finally speak, it wasn't what she was expecting. "What did you do?"

"Me?" Lilly clarified without thinking.

Daryl looked around pointedly. "See anyone else out here?"

Lilly bit her lip as he got back to work on the bike. To be honest, she was a little ashamed of her previous life. "Well… um, I was going to college."

Daryl snorted at that, as if it was the stupidest thing he'd ever heard. Lilly sat up straighter. "Something wrong with that?"

Daryl smirked. "Just never thought I'd be friends with a prissy college girl."

Lilly glared at him. "I'll have you know that I think college is really important, and that I really enjoyed it."

"Oh yeah? What were you studying?" Daryl asked.

Lilly hesitated. "Journalism."

Daryl burst into a fit of chuckles. "You? A journalist?"

Lilly frowned. "Yes, a journalist. What's so funny?"

Daryl shook his head. "Can't picture you with a microphone in front of a camera, is all. You're so quiet and awkward."

"Gee, thanks," Lilly grumbled. She regretted asking Daryl about his past at all now, not liking the direction the conversation had gone.

"Why'd ya want to be a journalist, anyway?"

"I wanted to travel," Lilly replied softly. "It wasn't really about being on a camera or giving reports… I just wanted to have the chance to have different experiences, meet new people, see things."

Her answer surprised Daryl a little. He'd never pinned Lilly down as the adventurous type - after all, she was the one who'd hidden in an attic for five months.

"I wasn't very good at it," Lilly continued. "In fact, I was actually failing. I wasn't confident enough, and while the other students were getting up in the center of things, I preferred to stay back and observe. I was too shy, I guess, but I loved to people watch. After my fourth semester, I went back home to my family in hopes of relaxing and taking time to figure things out… And then the walkers happened."

"What would you've done if they hadn't showed up?" Daryl asked.

Lilly shrugged. "I dunno… I was thinking about switching to a sociology major. Not sure what I would've done with it, but I think I would have fit in better."

"I could see you doin' that," Daryl agreed.

The weight of all the things she'd potentially lost hit Lilly like a tidal wave. Before she could sink too deeply into the sadness of that thought, Lilly changed the subject. "So this is your brother's motorcycle?"

Daryl sat back with a huff. "Let me guess, Carol told you."

Lilly smiled guiltily. "We just talked about you the one time, it's not a regular thing, I promise."

Daryl nodded and got back to work, resuming the conversation. "Yeah, this was Merle's bike. Bought it when we were both high school dropouts - always rubbed it in my face that he had one n' I didn't."

"Why do you still have it?" Lilly asked him.

"Dunno," Daryl furrowed his brow. He hesitated, not sure if he wanted to voice what he was thinking. But then he remembered who he was talking to - Lilly wouldn't laugh or judge. She'd opened up to him plenty, even when he'd made fun of her for studying journalism. "It's all I've got left of my brother."

"What do you miss about him?" Daryl looked up at Lilly, suddenly feeling a little offended that she assumed there was nothing to miss about Merle. Seeing his expression, Lilly quickly added, "I mean - all I've heard about him is that he's rude and get's into trouble a lot. But obviously you miss him, so there must be something more."

Daryl relaxed immediately, feeling dumb for assuming the worst. Of course Lilly would be sensitive to that. There wasn't a mean or judgmental bone in her body.

"I miss…" Daryl sat back, taking a rest from working on the bike. "I miss having somethin' to blame."

It was not the answer Lilly expected. She tilted her head, vaguely reminding Daryl of a bird. "What do you mean?"

Daryl wasn't sure he wanted to answer, but he figured he'd already said this much. Might as well finish the thought."Before all this, before the walker's… I was always angry at Merle, at my old man, always telling myself that they were the reason I was nothin' but a redneck hick. But now… I'm not so sure."

The confession broke Lilly's heart. Daryl thought he was nobody. All he'd had to hold onto was his family, and without that, he felt worthless. Before she even thought about it, Lilly slid off the box she'd been perched on and knelt down next to him. "Daryl…"

Her hand went to touch his shoulder, but Daryl flinched away. She drew her hand back, biting her lip. "You're not just some redneck hick. People need you. _I_ need you. If you hadn't been around to whip me into shape, I would probably be dead or too scared to keep going. You're a protector, a teacher, a leader… and you're my best friend. You're everything, Daryl. The world would be a whole lot worse without you in it. You make life better. For everyone."

Daryl listened quietly, her words filling a hole in his heart that he hadn't realized was there. At least, they started to. But Daryl was quickly getting uncomfortable with how vulnerable he was feeling. While he was touched by what Lilly had said, he didn't want to linger in the moment any longer for now.

Nudging her shoulder, Daryl got back to work on the bike. "Alright, this is gettin' too wishy washy for my taste. Let's just fix the bike."

Lilly leaned back on her heels with a smirk. Whether Daryl admitted it or not, she knew she was affecting him. Just as he was affecting her.


	15. Chapter 15

Blackforest Retreat turned out to be a miniature paradise for the exhausted group. For the next week, everyone took time to rest up both physically and emotionally. Rick grew less commanding, reverting back to the fair, friendlier ex-cop that everyone knew and loved. Lilly had never seen him this way before, but she took a liking to the new Rick immediately. Hershel's aging body greatly appreciated and benefited from the rest, and his weary eyes were slowly starting to brighten up - especially when he was with Beth or Maggie. Both of the Greene girls adjusted to the cabin quickly, happy to be back in a safe environment. It reminded them of home and helped them forget everything wrong with the world. Glenn followed Maggie around like a lost puppy, the young couple never able to get enough of each other now that they had time to explore their quickly made relationship. T-Dog had always been a laid back guy, but in the cabin he'd begun cracking jokes left and right and making everyone laugh more than ever. Carol distanced herself from the others on occasion as she continued to figure out how to deal with the loss of Sophia, but she thrived in the kitchen and was smiling more than she used to. Carl was youthful and acting his age for once - replacing his brooding with teasing and playing, just like a little boy should.

Daryl was mostly silent as always, spending the days outside working on his motorcycle, hunting once or twice, and constantly checking the security of the area. He was far from accustomed to the close family feel that had warmed the cabin and bloomed amongst the group. But even he seemed lighter, more animated.

Wherever Daryl was, Lilly was his ever constant shadow. She would sit out in the cold with him for hours while he worked on his bike, taking time to learn the names of different tools so that she could be more helpful and hand them to him. She came along on both hunting trips as well, finding that it was much different when there was snow on the ground. It was easier, with the white powder helping in muffling any sounds they made as they crept through the forest, and leaving clearer tracks for them to find and follow. Another reason for Lilly to love the snow.

At night, Lilly would change into her sweats and pad on into Daryl's room. Her mattress remained on the floor, and Daryl always took it while insisting that she took the bed. At this point, Lilly had no idea why she still felt the need to sleep near Daryl. The melatonin had taken care of her night terrors and there was plenty of room to sleep elsewhere, but she felt wrong without her friend nearby. And Daryl never hinted that he wanted her to go back to her room. He'd never say it out loud, but he still depended on Lilly's soft presence to chase away his own nightmares. So it was with relief that he insisted she took the bed every night, just happy that she hadn't caught on or questioned why yet.

Overall, their first week in Blackforest Retreat fulfilled much of the group's needs and was beneficial for everyone. The ever constant fear of losing it always hung in the back of their minds, but it was almost a good thing. It kept them from falling into a sense of false security. They relaxed, but remained cautious and were sure to place people on watch every night and occasionally throughout the day.

Lilly loved the beautiful cabin. She loved being able to take showers (even if they were freezing), being surrounded by beautiful snow, and not having to be on the move all the time. But nothing was perfect. In spite of the happiness and relief provided by their new home, Lilly still had a few problems. The biggest one went by the name of Lori Grimes.

While Blackforest Retreat had been a godsend to everyone, Lori surprisingly did not adjust to it well. Now that everyone had time to relax and busy themselves with trivial matters, the pregnant woman had started to grow restless and nit-picky. She wandered aimlessly about the cabin, holding her slightly swollen stomach, her dark eyes flitting around in search of anything that needed straightening up or fixing. Her jaw was always set tightly, shoulders strained, as if there was a rock constantly poking uncomfortably into her back. Whether it was her need to be in control, or just plain boredom, Lori was quickly making a habit of breathing down people's necks. Lilly was a regular victim. To Lori, the girl was still unstable and flaky. She watched Lilly like a hawk as if waiting for an excuse to complain about her.

The unwanted attention drove Lilly up the wall. It was part of the reason she spent so much time outside with Daryl - not that she wouldn't have spent time in his company anyway, but there were times where Lilly might have gone inside to warm up or get a task done if it wasn't for Lori.

It had been a week since they'd discovered Blackforest Retreat, and Lori was practically prowling through the house in search of something to fix or complain about. "What are you doing with that?" Lori stopped Lilly as the girl was walking down the hall.

Lilly paused with an armload of dirty laundry. "Washing it…"

"Isn't that Beth's shirt?"

Lilly looked down at the clothes, knitting her brows. "Yeah, I had some laundry, Beth and Maggie had laundry, I offered to take care of theirs for them while I'm at it."

Lori looked Lilly up and down, touching her pregnant belly as if to ground herself. Then she reached out. "Why don't you let me do it?"

Lilly hugged the laundry to herself before Lori could take it. "No it's fine, you just did a bunch last night. I can manage."

It was as if Lori didn't trust Lilly with Maggie and Beth's clothes. "No, really. You shouldn't be doing other people's laundry. I'll take care of it."

Lori took the clothes from Lilly's unwilling grasp and stepped around her without another word. Lilly watched the woman retreat down the hall and around the corner, a frown on her face. She tried not to think too much about it, but later that day Lori struck again.

Lilly was working on tending to the fireplace, feeding it and making sure that it didn't go out, when Lori walked into the living room and paused. "You shouldn't play with fire."

Lilly glanced over her shoulder and bit back a scowl when she saw who was talking to her. "I'm not. Just making sure it stays up."

"Why don't you let someone else do that?" Lori suggested. "Like Rick or Glenn?"

"It's fine, I've got it," Lilly replied simply.

Lori ground her teeth together, crossing her arms. "I think I'm just gonna go find Rick to do it. He's a little more experienced."

"Really, I've got it," Lilly responded, fighting to keep the irritation from boiling over in her chest. "It's just a fireplace, I can do it without setting the cabin on fire."

"I just don't feel comfortable with that."

The words made Lilly stop what she was doing and turn around to look at Lori. The two women locked in a sort of standoff, Lori holding her chin high and establishing dominance over the room.

Lilly wanted to retort and make a comeback, but then she eyed Lori's round stomach and sighed. The woman was just trying to cope. There was no need to make a scene. So with reluctance, Lilly got up and brushed the ash off her hands and walked out of the living room. "Whatever you feel is best, Lori, by all means."

That evening, Carl approached Lilly with a deck of old cards. Lilly had just come inside after sitting with Daryl while he worked on his bike. The hunter had seen her shivering and ordered her to go inside, promising that he'd be in a bit. "Lilly, do you wanna play Go Fish?"

Lilly looked down at Carl with a pleasant smile, surprised he had asked. Her and Carl had never talked much since she'd joined the group, both occupied with their own relationships and worries. Now that they weren't busy all the time, Carl was bored and for whatever reason had chosen Lilly to be his new friend. She didn't mind, finding the boy to be a breath of fresh air next to all the serious adults. "Sure."

They set up at the kitchen table, sitting across from each other. Carl shuffled the cards and dealt them out between him and Lilly, leaving the rest on the table between them. As they started the game, Carl quickly got chatty.

"So what're you doing with Daryl all the time?"

Lilly drew a card from the pile. "What do you mean?"

"You're always outside together. Are you making out?"

The question made Lilly nearly drop her cards in shock. Had she been drinking something, she would have comically spit it out like in the movies. "Making out? Oh, gosh, no."

Carl smirked at her from over his hand of cards. "You sure about that?"

Lilly squinted at him. "Positive. We're just fixing his bike is all." When Carl gave her a skeptical look, she added, "Well - _he's_ fixing his bike. I just sit and hand him stuff."

"That sounds boring," Carl told her honestly. "Got any queens?"

"Go fish."

As he pulled a card from the middle deck, Carl gave her a smug grin. "You must really like him to sit outside and do nothing but watch him fix his bike for hours."

Lilly felt her face heat up, but fought to keep her face indifferent. "Well yeah, he's my friend. Got any kings?"

"I mean _really_ like him," Carl smirked.

Lilly blinked at him, cursing the furious blush on her cheeks. She'd never really thought about it before. Yes, she cared about Daryl, she enjoyed his company, and she was happier around him, but how deep did her affection really go?

Lilly found that she had no response to Carl's insinuation and pursed her lips. "Let's just play the game. Kings?"

Carl looked through his hand and sighed, handing Lilly a card. Lilly smiled cheekily in thanks.

Just as the boy was opening his mouth to keep playing (Lilly hoped), a voice interrupted them. "Carl."

Both Lilly and Carl looked up to find Lori in the threshold of the kitchen entrance, arms folded and eyes bouncing between them fretfully. "Yeah?"

"It's time for bed," Lori informed him tightly.

Carl groaned. "But Mom, we just started a game -"

"Bedtime -"

"Just let us finish this round."

" _Now_ , Carl."

Grumbling under his breath, Carl set his cards down on the table and slid off the kitchen chair. "'Night, Lilly."

"Goodnight, Carl," Lilly told him. "We can keep playing tomorrow."

Lori locked eyes with the girl sternly, as if to say 'absolutely not', and put a protective hand on Carl's shoulder, guiding him out of the room. Lilly watched them go, biting her lip in confusion. What had she done to bother Lori so much?

The next morning, Lilly finally learned the truth. She had just gotten out of the shower and was padding down the hall as she towel dried her hair. Lori and Rick's voices came floating out of their bedroom. Lilly ignored it until she heard her name pop up. Curiosity getting the better of her, she paused and stood by the shut door, listening.

"What do you mean Carl shouldn't play with Lilly?" Rick was asking.

Lori's strained voice came answering. "She's not a good influence on him."

"Well I disagree," Rick told her. "He's the only kid his age, he's lonely. Lilly let's him be a little boy again. She's just as good of a friend as anyone else."

"I don't feel comfortable with our son being around someone like her," Lori insisted.

Rick paused. A moment later, Lilly heard him speak again. "This isn't about Carl, is it? This is about you not liking Lilly."

"I don't trust her," Lori admitted.

"What's not to trust?" Rick defended. "Maybe she's a little shy, but she's done nothing but try to help. Without Lilly, we wouldn't be here right now. We'd still be stuck on the road freezing to death."

Lilly smiled a little, grateful that Rick was backing her up. But it faded as soon as Lori started talking.

"You don't know that. Someone else could've found the cabin too. Lilly's not one of us, Rick. There's something off about her - the girl was alone in an _attic_ for who knows how long. Who's to say she won't snap and do something?"

"She's not crazy, Lori. It's not like she had a choice in the matter."

"How do you know? The girl's a stranger, she could have been doing anything before we found her. I thought you'd be smarter than to let her join us after everything we went through with Randal."

" _Randal_ was from a group of murderers and rapists. Lilly's situation is completely different."

"I'm telling you Rick, something's wrong with that girl," Lori argued. "She's distant, she's quiet, she's jumpy, she doesn't fit in. One of these days, something bad is going to happen. People are gonna get hurt, and it is going to be because of Lilly Clearwater."

Lilly had heard enough. Clenching her fists, she left her spot by the door and slipped into her room, quickly putting shoes and socks on and braiding her wet hair. Then she stomped across the hall and burst into Daryl's room. The hunter was crouched on his bed, sharpening arrows. He raised his eyebrows at her when she entered. "Care to knock?"

"Let's go hunting," Lilly suggested, already grabbing his horse blanket from the dresser and chucking it at him.

Daryl caught it with a frown. "We caught five rabbits two days ago - "

"Well maybe we could use a few more." Lilly couldn't stay in that cabin for much longer. She was feeling stuffy and claustrophobic. Lori's words had cut deep, and Lilly needed to escape and put them out of her mind before she cracked.

Daryl stood from the bed and stepped over the mattress on the floor, putting his shoes on. "You just wanna get outside."

"You caught me," Lilly deadpanned. "Let's go."

When Daryl didn't move, Lilly bounced on the balls of her feet impatiently. "Please?"

Daryl considered her, wanting to ask what was bothering her. But Lilly looked like she was suffocating - he could relate. So with a shrug, he threw the horse blanket over his head and grabbed his crossbow and arrows. Lilly practically hopped out of his room and down the stairs, eagerly leading the way outside.

As soon as they'd gotten past the gate and into the forest, she closed her eyes and took a deep, cleansing breath. Daryl eyed the way her shoulders slumped in relief and leaned against a tree. "So what's got you all knotted up?"

Lilly bit her lip and peered at the ground for tracks. "Oh, the usual."

Daryl smirked. It wasn't hard to figure out what - or who - was stressing her out. A certain pregnant woman had been driving everyone crazy all week. "What'd Lori do this time?"

"She's telling Rick that there's something wrong with me," Lilly whined. "She said there's something off and she doesn't trust me."

"Well that's her problem," Daryl told her. "Lori will say what she wants to. Nothin' you can do about that."

"But…" Lilly huffed. She knew that she shouldn't let it bother her, but she couldn't help it. It did. "It's just… I've been trying so hard to fit in with the group and not be a burden, and I thought I'd finally gotten somewhere."

"You have," Daryl said. When Lilly looked at him doubtfully, he continued. "I mean it. Lori's just got her panties in a twist 'cause she's pregnant and bored and doesn't have anything else to complain about. It's her problem. Not yours."

Lilly was hesitant to let it go. " _One of these days, something bad is going to happen. People are gonna get hurt, and it is going to be because of Lilly Clearwater."_ What if Lori was right? What if Lilly messed up somehow and got someone hurt, or worse? All this time, Lilly had been focusing on making herself stronger, on becoming independent. But she hadn't thought about how she might affect others as much. She hadn't taken into account the thought that as she grew stronger, others would come to depend on her more. It was terrifying.

If something Lilly did hurt another person, she'd never forgive herself. And while Lori was being petty and Lilly knew not to take her seriously, her words had sparked a new fear in Lilly's mind.

Oblivious to the birth of this new phobia, Daryl stood from his spot against the tree and nudged her shoulder. "You're bein' catty. Stop it."

Lilly shook herself out of her thoughts and started walking. She forced a smile, appreciating Daryl's lovable bluntness. His sturdy presence balanced out her constant spew of worries and insecurities. "Thanks for this. I know we didn't have to go hunting today, but it definitely helps."

"Yeah, whatever," Daryl replied. "Just find us some tracks."

Lilly quickly identified some squirrel tracks, which they followed for a time until they disappeared into the trees. As usual, Daryl never failed to surprise. He nailed two squirrels, sending them falling from the trees to the ground with a thud. After about two hours of hunting, Lilly tucked the two squirrels in her belt and called quits. Rejuvenated by the fresh air and the chance to escape Lori's judgments for a while, Daryl and Lilly headed back to the cabin.

As Lilly walked, her arm brushing Daryl's every once and awhile, she thought about what Carl had said. " _You must really like him… I mean_ really _like him."_ She glanced up at Daryl, her insides fluttering as she took in his profile. Maybe…

Daryl's blue eyes flickered to her and he caught her staring. "Somethin' on my face?"

Lilly blushed deep scarlet and ducked her head. "No."

"What're you lookin' at?"

"Nothing."

As her face continued to heat up and burn red, Lilly let her now dry hair fall over her face and sped up so that she was walking in front of Daryl. Daryl watched after her, squinting suspiciously. What was going through that girl's brain?

He watched Lilly trip clumsily over a fallen branch and snorted. She recovered quickly and kept walking without looking back. Daryl smiled at the back of her head, unable to resist the affection for her. Who cared about what Lori thought?

While Daryl couldn't have cared less about it, Lori's words continued to bother Lilly. Little did she know, in a few hours, Lori Grimes was going to be the least of her problems.

…..

It had been a rough go of it for Cain and his men. They'd been doused in snow a week ago, and were far from prepared for it. The way they survived was by robbing other groups – and ever since the fiasco with Rick and his group, their strategy had been compromised. Thirst revenge had taken over their every waking moment – Rick had left them all thoroughly humiliated, and they were not the type of men to let someone get the better of them ever. Distracted by this new priority, thought of things like food and shelter and finding another innocent crowd to pick off had evaded their minds. Cain figured that those necessities would be taken care of once they found Rick's group.

He imagined that day with glee. He and his men would come in and have them at gunpoint before anyone had time to shout in surprise. Those who got cocky and fought would be shot down immediately and excessively. Then they'd tie Rick up and make him watch as they slowly and painfully destroyed everyone he'd fought to protect. Dignity would be restored as Cain would end Rick's pleas for mercy with a knife to the throat. Those that they'd kept alive – just a few of the women – would be packed up in their trucks along with the rest of the stolen supplies, and Cain and his men would drive away victorious, leaving nothing behind but mangled bodies, cursed to turn into walker's.

Of course, it had been harder to chase after Rick's group than Cain had anticipated. It didn't help that he'd been one man down, no thanks to the mousy brunette girl that'd stabbed Alex in the back.

Luckily, as of two days ago, three new men had joined. Their names were Paul, Leonardo, and Angus. Cain and his men had run into the trio rifling through an abandoned old farmhouse. It had been a tense meeting at first – both groups eyeing one another and formulating different plans of how to kill and rob the other group. But as soon as they realized how similar they were, Cain offered to bring them into the fold. It had been a win-win situation. Cain needed more men, and the three strangers needed security. By the end of the day, it was like they'd all been a team for ages.

Orren hadn't adjusted well to the new additions. He was accustomed to being second in command, but the man named Paul was quickly sliding in and taking his place. This, along with the fact that he was down two fingers, made for a very livid Orren. The cold weather didn't help as it froze his bald head, and Orren refused to wear a hat as he took pride in the tattoos that snaked up his scalp. The rough time made Orren bitter. Each day as he nursed his infected, maimed hand, he was haunted by a pair of bright green eyes.

Whoever that mousy little brunette was, Orren had mentally begun to use her as a scapegoat for everything. He lost his fingers, and it was her fault. He was stuck without supplies in the snow, and it was her fault. He was quickly losing all dignity he had left as Paul replaced his standing in the group, and it was all her fault. With each bitter minute that passed, Orren's obsession and loathing festered in his mind. When he did finally get his hands on that girl, Orren knew that all his pain and anger would come exploding out and she was the destined target. Oh, the things he would do…

Day eight of driving their fuel-deprived trucks and RV along the treacherous icy road was proving to be just as dismal and packed with frustrations as the day before. That was, until Cain slid to a halt, bringing the parade of trucks behind to him to a stop as well. Squinting, the greasy-haired man hopped out of the driver's seat and trudged through the snow to the side of the road. Stepping through a patch of torn up bushes, Cain approached the snow-covered sign that had caught his eye.

Cain brushed the snow off the tilted sign and squinted, a toothy yellow smile stretching onto his face. "Blackforest Retreat," he read. "Sounds promising."


	16. Chapter 16

**Warning: Dark themes in this chapter.**

 **And as always, thank you for reading and reviewing. Your encouragement makes all the difference.**

That night, Lilly helped Daryl prepare a couple rabbits for cooking, and then helped Carol mix them in with canned soup. Everyone gathered companionably around the warm fire while Lilly and Carol dished soup up into bowls and passed them out. Daryl sat in silence in the corner, hunched over his bowl. When everyone was served, Lilly went and sat next to him.

"So how much longer until you get your bike fixed?" she asked.

"A few more things to tweaks tomorrow, and it should be good as new," Daryl told her around a mouthful of food.

Lilly smiled and slurped on her soup. "Then what?"

Daryl shrugged. "Dunno. More hunting, I guess."

"Just hunting?" Lilly frowned. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I think that's great. But there's gotta be something else you'd like to do too."

Daryl didn't reply, as if he had no idea what she meant. In his mind, there really wasn't much more than survival.

Lilly finished her soup, waiting patiently for him to answer. But when she looked over at him and saw the blank expression on his face, she sighed. "Okay. I'm gonna wash dishes, and when I get back you need to tell me something you'd like to do that isn't related to surviving."

Leaving him with that, Lilly took Daryl's empty bowl from him and stood up, gathering other dishes from the rest of the group and heading into the kitchen. To her dismay, none other than Lori Grimes was already at the sink, mixing soap into the cold water. Biting her lip, Lilly reluctantly approached the woman and set the dishes down on the counter next to Lori. "Want some help?"

"Thanks, Beth -" Lori started before she looked over and realized that it wasn't Beth she was talking to. Her eyes darkened at the sight of Lilly. "Oh."

Lilly pursed her lips and started dunking dishes into the soapy water. "Here, I'll wash, you dry."

"I've got it," Lori said.

Rolling her eyes, Lilly dropped the dish she'd been holding into the water and turned to face Lori. She'd had enough. "You know what, Lori, if you've got a problem with me just say it."

Lori faltered under Lilly's sudden confrontation. "I - I don't -"

"I'm sick of you giving me dirty looks and talking behind my back. Why don't you just tell it to my face?"

Lori fell speechless. Lilly had pinned her down with her green eyes, far from the shy little girl that they'd found in the attic a month ago. In that moment, Lori realized she might have been wrong about Lilly.

But there wouldn't be time for them to resolve that problem. The sound of the front door slamming open made both women jump. Lilly ran out of the kitchen and down the hall, skidding to a halt when she saw what the commotion was. Her stomach dropped.

Cain. He was marching into the cabin, flanked by his men. Lilly's jaw dropped in horror. _No, not them! No, no, no!_ As his dark eyes locked with hers, Cain gave her an oily grin.

"Well look who we have here."

Lori came out of the kitchen behind Lilly, gasping and dropping the bowl in her hand. It clattered to the floor loudly. The sound was enough to knock Lilly out of her frozen state of terror. With a deep breath, a scream clawed its way up Lilly's throat. "Everybody run!"

The group in the living room all jumped up at the sound. Daryl was on his feet in seconds, rushing out of the room and speeding down the hallway. He turned around the corner just in time to see Lori and Lilly turn and bolt down the hall towards him, pursued by Cain and his men. "Lilly!"

"Daryl, run!" Lilly shouted. She shoved Lori around him and then barrelled into Daryl, pushing him back into the living room.

Daryl switched into defense mode almost immediately, catching on to what Lilly was doing and whirling around to slam the living room door shut behind him.

"What's goin' on?" Rick demanded.

Daryl and Lilly both leaned heavily against the door, a moment later feeling the intruders pounding on it, trying to get in.

"It's Cain!" Lori told Rick over the noise.

The entire room erupted into panic. Rick and Lori both grasped Carl's shoulders protectively, while the others started shouting in alarm. Uninhibited terror permeated the room, taking control of everyone's minds. They weren't stupid. They knew that the appearance of Cain meant that they were in danger of pain and death of the worst kind.

"Everyone, this way," T-Dog hissed in the chaos, smart enough to stay quiet so that Cain didn't hear what he was saying. He flung the curtains aside and unlocked the window, sliding it open with difficulty. The pane squeaked as it was forced open, rusty from months of disuse.

They caught on quickly, Glenn urging Maggie out the window. She slipped out quickly, turning to help Hershel through. As soon as he was out, Beth followed. Lori shoved Carl through the window next, slipping out closely behind him.

As the group slowly worked on their escape, Rick joined Daryl and Lilly in keeping the door shut. All three were shaking with the effort. As Cain and his men continued to increase pressure on the door, it was slowly starting to open. Lilly bit back a whimper when she saw Cain's eye through the crack in the door opening, her feet sliding across the floor as she fought to get it closed again.

Most of the group was through the window, only T-Dog and Glenn remaining. T-Dog swung his leg out the window and slid through. "Rick!" Glenn yelled. "We've gotta go, c'mon!"

"Go, Rick!" Lilly insisted when Rick didn't move from his position by the door.

"Rick," Daryl spoke up. The ex-cop exchanged a long look with Daryl. As they both worked to keep the door close, a silent communication happened between them. Their eyes bore into each other, weighing their options, saying all that needed to be said without words. His eyes hardening with resolve, Daryl nodded. "Go."

Rick looked on the verge of protesting, the weight of what Daryl was really saying hitting him like a brick wall. But this was life and death, and people were depending on him. He knew the choice he had to make. So with an earnest final nod to Daryl, Rick finally relented and left the door, following Glenn as he hopped out the window.

"You too, princess," Daryl grunted. With Rick gone, keeping Cain from bursting through the door was nearing impossible.

"What?!" Lilly gasped, pressing her back against the door with all the strength she had. "No, I'm staying with you!"

"I'll hold 'em off, get outta here!" Daryl barked.

"Daryl, no!" Lilly refused. The door cracked open significantly, Cain's hand snaking through the opening. Both Lilly and Daryl grit their teeth, pushing against him as hard as they could.

"I'll be right behind you!"

"Promise?"

"Promise. Now get goin'!"

Perspiration was beading on Lilly's brow as she continued to press on the door, her hands slipping against its surface as they started getting clammier. With a final shove, Lilly relented and pushed off the door, running for the window and easily ducking through it.

Daryl watched her disappear in a blur of chocolate hair, his heart sinking. That was the last time he'd ever see her. In that moment's eye contact between the Rick and Daryl, a decision had been made. Rick was the leader. Rick had a family. Somebody was going to have to sacrifice, because there was no way they'd all get out alive. Daryl knew that. Rick had known that. If Daryl stayed back to keep the door shut while Lilly got out, he couldn't escape. But what he could do was give her - give _everyone_ \- the best chance possible. So it was with a heavy heart that he shut his eyes and put everything he had towards keeping the door shut for a little bit longer.

Lilly landed in the snow outside, feeling warm hands quickly grab her arms and help her stand up. She looked up to find Rick. "C'mon, let's go!"

The rest of the group was already sprinting around the cabin and out the gate. As Rick turned to follow, Lilly grabbed his arm. "Wait! We need to wait for Daryl!"

Rick looked down at her, glancing between her frantic green eyes and the open window behind her. His eyes were laced with pain. "Daryl's not comin', Lilly. We've gotta go!" He grasped her wrist and tried to pull her with him, but Lilly dug her heels into the snow, sliding along. She struggled as Rick roughly pulled her around the cabin and towards the gate.

"No, no, Rick, he said he'd be right behind me, we can't leave him!"

"He's stayin' behind!"

"What?!" Lilly pulled against him until she was practically falling on the ground.

Rick continued to try and yank her along. "Lilly, we don't have time for this -"

"I'm not leaving him! Let go!" She scratched and clawed at his hand. Rick did his best to keep moving to the gate, but she was holding him back. "I said let go!" Lilly was fighting against him with all she was worth, finally resorting to bringing her foot up and kicking him in the shin. Rick let her go with a shout and she fell on her butt in the snow.

Swearing, Rick reached for her again. "Lilly, I mean it -"

"You keep going," Lilly told him, scrambling out of his reach. "I'm staying here."

Rick's urgent face was slipping into a desperate and helpless expression. They didn't have time. Everything was happening so fast, slipping out of his control, forcing him to make decisions that he'd never wanted to make. He was losing Daryl, he couldn't lose another member of the group too. But the resolve in Lilly's eyes was undeniable, and he couldn't force her to flee with them. "Please, Lilly, you'll never make it, the things they'll do to you -"

"I have to help him, Rick," Lilly told him, standing to her feet and already backing away, back to the cabin.

Rick watched her stumble backwards, extending a hand to her pleadingly. "Daryl's doing this for us - for you. If you go back there, you'll both die. He doesn't want that, Lilly." Rick stepped towards her, making one last effort to get her to come with him. "He doesn't want that."

Lilly looked his hand, but she already knew what her answer was. She didn't even have to think to know. "I owe him everything," she breathed.

Rick's shoulder's slumped. Lilly met his eyes, a bittersweet feeling swelling in her chest. There wasn't enough time, enough words, to express the things she wanted Rick to know. If they wanted to have their best chance at escaping Cain and his men, that had to leave now. So she said the only thing she could in that moment. "Thank you." With that, she turned and started jogging back to the house.

"Lilly, wait!" Rick called.

"Go, Rick!" Lilly called over her shoulder. "They need you!"

Rick watched helplessly as the small girl disappeared back around the cabin, loss already hitting his core. There was only one outcome from Lilly going back to help Daryl. They'd both die horribly. Heavy with this knowledge, Rick forced himself to turn away from the cabin and muster what little strength he had left. The rest of the group was waiting for him a little pass the gate, unaware that they'd lost two group members. Together, they sprinted down the dirt trail and away from certain death.

…

Lilly slid to a halt next to the open living room window and held her breath, listening for what was happening inside.

"Where are they?" Cain was asking. When no reply came, the sound of a fist hitting skin clapped through the air. Lilly flinched. "There was more than just you in this room," Cain demanded. "Where'd they go?!"

More brutal punches were heard, followed by gasping and coughing from Daryl. Lilly bit her tongue, fighting every instinct in her body that told her to go rushing in to help him. She was his only chance. Both of their lives depended on the next couple of minutes. Lilly had to think it through.

"Where's that pretty little brunette girl, huh? What was it you called her? Lilly?" Lilly shivered at the mention of her name.

"I'm not tellin' you nothin," Daryl spat. His response was followed by a loud kick and a grunt.

"Aren't you?" Cain laughed.

As more sounds of abuse floated out of the window and to Lilly's ears, she clenched her teeth and brought her hands to her head, trying to concentrate on finding a solution. But problem solving was hard when her best friend was getting beaten to a pulp nearby. The punches and kicks seemed endless, and the longer Lilly had to hear it, the more desperate and rash she became.

"Ready to talk?" someone asked.

"When pigs fly," Daryl retorted immediately, his speech slurred and blurry.

There was a pause, before the dreaded clicking of a gun sounded. "Eh, I don't think he's gonna tell us anything. Let's save some time and get on the road before the others get away."

Lilly's heart leapt into her throat. In moments, a gunshot was going to sound and Daryl would be lost forever. She still had no idea what she was going to do, but Lilly was out of time.

Inside, Daryl was on his knees, closing his eyes and waiting for the end to come. Blood dribbled from his mouth and nose, his eye already swelling up. This was it. The end of Daryl Dixon.

"What was that?" one of Cain's men suddenly said. Daryl opened his eyes to find them peering at the open window. Cain frowned at them. The man pointed at the window, "I saw somethin' out there. Someone's still here."

Daryl's heart sunk. Who was the idiot that had stayed behind?

"Let him go."

Horror came crashing into Daryl's chest as soon as he heard that voice. Standing at the threshold of the living room door, chest heaving as she caught her breath, Lilly held her knife in her tiny hand and was glaring at Cain. At least - she was trying to. The fear in her eyes was as clear as day, her hands shaking. She looked smaller than ever.

"Lilly, I told you to get outta here -" Daryl started to shout, but he was cut off by a swift kick to the stomach. He doubled over in pain, his mind frantic with incoherent panic.

"If it isn't the little brat that killed Alex," Cain greeted, clicking his tongue. "You should've run, little missy."

"Let him go," Lilly repeated, her voice quivering.

"Or what?" Cain stepped forward threateningly.

"I recognize you," Paul suddenly said. "You're the girl from the attic, the one who killed herself."

Lilly looked to him for the first time, her eyes widening in shock. There he was, along with his partner - the men who'd killed her family. The men she'd been hiding from in the attic, forced to listen as they tortured her mother and shot her brother. She nearly dropped her knife, her mind going blank.

"We thought you were dead," Leonardo piped up. He scowled. "Nobody tricks us and lives to tell the tale." He started to charge at her, his gun aiming at her head.

"Stop, stop, stop!" Orren knocked Leonardo's gun aside, a loud gunshot sounding as a bullet hit the wall behind Lilly. "That girl's mine," he hissed.

"Says who?" Leonoardo spat.

"Says me," Cain jumped in. He nodded to Orren. "Little Lilly here took off Orren's fingers. He's been awfully knotted up over it. I promised him revenge." He looked back at Lilly, eyeing her up and down. "You really shouldn't be here, girly. It seems everyone wants a piece of you."

Lilly was pale as a ghost, her eyes flickering between the three men who all seemed to have it out for her. Apparently, she was valuable to this group. While that knowledge sickened her, she was quickly realizing that it might be useful in saving Daryl.

"Don't you touch her," Daryl growled, spitting blood onto the carpet. He was silenced with another punch.

Cain turned to him, raising his gun up to Daryl's head. "You talk too much. Time to go." His finger twitched to pull the trigger.

"Wait!" Lilly practically shrieked. The shrill sound made Cain pause. All eyes in the room zeroed in on her. Lilly was shifting her weight back and forth, looking ready to pass out. But she fought to stand steady, her sweaty hands making it hard to keep a firm grasp on her knife. She couldn't believe what she was about to say, but there didn't seem to be any other option.

"Let him go," she told them softly. "And you can have me."

"Don't be stupid Lilly -" Daryl started to protest loudly, but he was kicked into silence.

Cain laughed darkly. "Who's to say we don't already have you? You're standing right here."

"I'm fast," Lilly said. "I can still get away. I've killed one of your men before, and I can do it again. But if you let him go, I'll stay right here. I won't fight, I won't run, I'll do anything you say." Her eyes tingled, welling up. This was not how she'd wanted to die, but if it meant Daryl could have a chance, she'd do it.

The men considered her. "You'll do _anything_ we ask?" Cain repeated, his tongue sliding across his teeth like a snake.

Lilly could barely speak, her throat dry and swelling with fear. "Anything."

Daryl couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Lilly…"

"Shut it," Cain snapped. He looked between Orren, Paul, and Leonardo. "You can all have your way with her."

"Sounds fair," Orren agreed, stomping towards Lilly.

She took a step back. "But you have to let him go first."

There was a tense standoff. Lilly jutted her chin out, trying to stand tall even though all she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry. She had to stay strong. For Daryl.

After a long moment that never seemed to end, Cain finally jerked his head. The movement triggered a series of events. Two men both yanked Daryl up by his arms, dragging him to the living room door. Lilly stepped aside to give them room to leave, a tear falling down her face and betraying any pretence of strength that she had.

Daryl struggled, kicking and trying to get free. "Run, Lilly! You stupid girl, run!"

Lilly didn't move, her knees turning to water and trembles overtaking her body. Her knife clattered to the ground. "I'm sorry, Daryl."

Daryl was fighting with every ounce of strength he had, trying for all he was worth to stop the inevitable. "Don't you touch her! I'll kill you! I'll kill you all!"

"I'm afraid your sweet Lilly has consented," Cain laughed. "Enjoy the snow."

"Lilly!" Daryl was screaming. " _Lilly!_ "

With great difficulty, the two men forced him out of the living room and down the hall. Lilly watched them go, biting back a sob. Tears were now streaming freely down her face, all the strength that she'd worked so hard to build crumbling to the ground around her. She'd had no choice. She had to do it. The world needed Daryl Dixon, not her.

The back door slammed and silence fell, signaling that Daryl was free.

"You should've listened to him, you know," Orren hissed, finally approaching her. Lilly clenched her fists, biting her tongue hard enough that she could taste blood. The man's presence made her want to run, fight, do _something_. Orren leaned in close, his hot breath tickling her ear. "When I'm through with you, you're gonna wish you'd left him to die."

…..

Daryl was thrown headfirst into the snow. Harsh laughter echoed in his ears. He wasn't clueless - he knew that he hadn't escaped. Not really.

As he lifted his head from the snow, he heard the click of a gun.

"Girl was sure stupid, thinkin' that we'd just let you go like that."

Fiery anger and horror coursed through Daryl's veins. He couldn't get Lilly's pale face from his mind, the tears overflowing from her green eyes as she gave up everything for him. He couldn't stop thinking about how those men were looking at her, their eyes roving up and down her body, eyeing her like a piece of meat, their hands twitching and itching to do unthinkable things to her. She was so naive, so pure, and she was throwing it all away. There was no way that Lilly knew the extent of what she'd just signed up for. Maybe she had an idea, but she couldn't possibly wrap her innocent mind around just how horrible of a situation she was putting herself in.

Daryl wanted to throw up. He felt sick, knowing what was going to happen to Lilly. He had to stop it.

Reigning in all his emotions and gritting his teeth, Daryl took advantage of the men's confidence and caught them by surprise. He knocked the gun out of one man's hand just in time before it fired, the bullet grazing his arm. With a snarl, Daryl leapt from the ground and knocked the second man to the snow, kicking his own gun out of his hands and snatching it up.

It happened in a split second. Before either men had any chance to process what had just happened, Daryl fired twice, sending bullets into their brains.

…..

The sound of gunshots echoed into the cabin. Lilly's jaw dropped in horror, her green eyes flickering from Orren to Cain, silently asking what it meant.

Cain's smile broadened and he tilted his head. "Oops."

Lilly's entire world came crashing down. _No!_ Her mouth opened and closed like a fish as she tried to find the words. "You - you said you'd let him go."

"For such a pretty little thing, you're awful lacking in brain power," Cain replied coolly. "I lied."

Lilly choked back a sob. None of it had mattered - Daryl had died anyway. The greatest man she had ever known was out there lying dead in the snow. Her sacrifice had been in vain. Lilly couldn't accept it.

Orren's hand came sliding around her waist, and a new fury surged within Lilly's chest. With a scream, she shoved herself out of his grasp. "Don't touch me!"

"Now, sweetheart, you made a deal -" Orren sneered, coming at her again. Lilly turned to flee, but ran right into another pair of arms. Paul.

"Squeamish little thing, isn't she?"

Lilly fought against his grip, another scream clawing its way up her throat. Hands snaked their way up her body, hot breath brushing across her neck. She scratched and clawed at everything around her, shrieking and kicking and fighting animalistically. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening.

Her back hit the floor and someone pinned her hands above her head. She bucked and kicked, squirming as Orren crawled over her, a dirty grin on his satanic face.

"Daryl!" The name came flying out of her mouth for no apparent reason. It was all she could think, all she wanted in that moment. Daryl was her symbol of protection and comfort, and she ached for that beyond anything else. She couldn't believe he was gone. "Daryl!"

The men were laughing at her cries, deeply amused by her senseless pleas for a man who was dead to help her.

A gunshot sounded and someone dropped to the floor, dead.

Shouting in alarm, the men looked up to find none other than Daryl Dixon barreling into the room, pulling the trigger and sending a second body to the ground. The room was filled with confusion, the sounds of gunshots and shouts filling the air. People were dropping like flies. Hands removed themselves from Lilly as they went to their weapons to defend themselves.

Daryl fought his way in and reached down to grab Lilly's arm, yanking her to her feet. "Let's get outta here!"

Lilly didn't have time to process who was saving her, what was happening, her eyes glazed over and distant as everything happened in a blur.

Daryl held on to her wrist and pulled her out of the living room, shoving her in front of him and forcing her to run down the hall. They were outnumbered, he wasn't stupid enough to try to stick around and take them all out. Bullets came whizzing past his head and Daryl ducked, blindly firing a shot behind him and hearing a shout of pain.

They reached the back door and tumbled out, Lilly tripping and falling to the snow. Daryl quickly wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her to her feet, half carrying her as he continued to sprint around the cabin and to the gate. Shouts followed them, unidentifiable in the dark as two men came running out of the cabin in pursuit.

Daryl threw Lilly to the ground and leapt on top of her, shielding her with his body as a flurry of bullets flew over their heads. He squinted in the darkness, aiming his stolen gun and firing. One of the men dropped to the ground with a cry. A second gunshot, and the other man dropped without a sound.

Daryl didn't wait to see if he'd killed them or successfully kept them from following. He rolled off Lilly and back onto his feet, yanking her out of the snow and resuming a firm grasp on her wrist. They both sprinted to the gate and through it, Daryl practically dragging Lilly along. She struggled to keep up with his long stride and fast pace, running with all she was worth to keep up.

"Daryl…" Lilly breathed between gasps for air as they continued to run. _You're alive!_

"Just keep runnin', Lilly," Daryl barked, pulling her along into the forest.

They didn't stop or look back to see if they were being followed. Branches scratched their faces, their feet slipping on the ground as they sprinted through the foliage, running blindly in pair escaped deep into the forest, leaving the cabin and Cain's men far behind them.

…..

Out in the snow, Orren groaned in pain and lifted himself to his feet, hissing when one of his legs faltered. He'd been shot in the thigh. Next to him, Leonardo's body was face down in the snow, blood surrounding his head. Orren squinted in the darkness, watching the figures of Daryl and Lilly vanish in the shadows, slipping out of his fingers yet again.

A primal scream tore out of Orren's mouth as fury clouded his sight. Once again, they'd been bested by Rick's group - this time taken down by a mere two and spitting angrily, he left Leonardo's body and limped back into the cabin.

The living room was now a mess of bloodstains and bodies. As Orren looked around, he couldn't believe how everyone had been taken out in the blink of an eye. Whoever that redneck was, he was a good shot.

A moan came from one of the bodies, and Orren quickly limped to it, dropping down at its side. It was Malachi, snarling in pain as he felt a bullet embedded in his side.

At least he wasn't the only one to survive, Orren thought as he looked around the room at the lifeless bodies. His pale eyes fell on Cain, lying on his back, his glassy eyes wide open in a permanent state of shock. A bullet hole sat in the center of the former leader's forehead.

Malachi winced while he sat up, holding a hand to his side. "I'm gonna kill that hick," he spat.

Orren glanced at Malachi, his face ablaze with fury. "We both are," he agreed, nostrils flaring. The two of them would rest up, heal, and then they would set out in search of Lilly and her rescuer. If there had been a want for revenge before, it was nothing like the blinding need for it now.

Surrounded by his dead group members, Orren swore to every deity existing that he would find and destroy that green eyed girl, if it was the last thing he did.


	17. Chapter 17

The sound of heavy breathing echoed in Lilly's ears as Daryl pulled her deeper and deeper into the dark forest. All she could sense was the sting of foliage brushing her face, the cold wind blowing through her hair, Daryl's warm hand wrapped around her cold wrist. The moon was peeking out from around a cloud, its light illuminating the fallen snow around them and making everything feel dreamlike and fantastical. The pair of angel wings on Daryl's back was Lilly's saving grace. She stared at them, pushing her feet against the slippery ground, determined to never let them out of her sight again.

Oxygen came to her lungs in rasps the longer they ran. It felt like they were running for hours. Every time Lilly started to falter, Daryl would look over his shoulder. "C'mon, Lilly, a little farther." His voice was muffled in Lilly's mind, everything around her hazy and unreal. She was in a state of shock - so much had happened so quickly. Her brain struggled to process all of it.

One second Daryl had been dead, and she had been moments away from torture of the worst kind. The next, he was alive and sweeping her from the cabin. There had been gunshots - men had died or been hurt. Confusion and fear ran rampant.

After what felt like an eternity of running, Daryl's hand released Lilly's wrist and she went crashing to the snowy ground. She gasped loudly as she fought to catch her breath, snow coating locks of her hair. Daryl was a few feet away, on the verge of falling down himself. He bent over, hands on his knees, breathing heavily.

Lilly looked up from the ground to her rescuer, all thought of what had just happened fleeing her mind. "Daryl…" she breathed.

He didn't seem to hear her, wiping his arm across his sweaty brow, back turned towards her.

"Daryl," Lilly said again, struggling to her feet and regaining her balance. In slow movements, she approached him, eyes welling up with relief and joy. "I thought you were dead…" Unable to restrain herself, Lilly stepped around Daryl so that she was in front of him and opened her arms, moving to throw them around his neck.

Daryl flinched away violently, raising an arm and knocking Lilly back to the ground. "Don't touch me."

Lilly frowned at him, quickly getting to her feet a second time. Daryl turned away from her, still breathing in short, strained gasps. His shoulders were tense and his hands curled into hard fists. Lilly took in the sight, confusion furrowing her brow. She tried to approach him again, reaching up to touch his shoulder. "Daryl -"

Again he flinched, but instead of avoiding her, Daryl whirled around to face her and roared. "What were you thinking?! _What is wrong with you_?!"

Lilly jumped back, frightened by the sudden display of blind anger. "I don't -"

"I told you to run!" Daryl shouted, his eyes blazing. "You were supposed to go with Rick, you were supposed to leave! What were ya' thinkin', comin' back and offerin' yourself up like that?!"

Lilly was speechless. She hadn't expected this anger, couldn't understand why Daryl was suddenly so livid. She bit her lip, a lump lodged painfully in her throat as he continued to shout.

"Ya know, I thought I was doin' a good thing back there," he spat. "I thought I was savin' you, that you were so naive and I was makin' sure nobody took advantage of that. But now I can see that you're just plain _stupid_!" He was waving his fists around as he scolded her, unable to control the fury that took over his words. Nothing seemed to accurately express what he was feeling, so he just kept yelling. "Stupid, stupid, prissy little brat! How dare you make that choice? How dare you come back and act like you're some hero?! You dense, cockeyed, bone-headed, stupid, stupid, _lunatic!_ "

Lilly listened with parted lips, tears stinging her eyes. She'd never been so scared and insecure in her life. Daryl continued to shout incoherent abuse at her, insulting everything about her.

"You think you're so tough, think you can just do whatever you want, you stupid idiot! How dare you! _How dare you_!"

"How dare I?" Lilly suddenly snapped. "I'm not the one who tried to be a hero and stay behind! You promised! You said you'd be right behind me!"

"Yeah, 'cause you wouldn't leave!" Daryl retorted loudly. "Just kept stickin' to me like a tic! I was tryin' to give you a chance and you threw it in the mud n' stomped all over it like some spoiled brat!"

"How dare _you_ ," Lilly seethed right back. "How could you throw your life away like that? People need you, Daryl, you can't just leave us!"

"That was my choice to stay behind," Daryl hollered. " _My_ choice!"

"Then it was _my_ choice to come back," Lilly shouted, her face heating up angrily as she got caught up in the fight.

Daryl swore loudly, stepping closer to her and getting right in her face. "If you were twice as smart, you'd still be the stupidest girl I ever met! You comin' back didn't do a lick of good, ya' know, you just made everything worse!"

"I was trying to help!" Lilly shrieked inches from his face.

"You were being a no-good little schmuck!" Daryl hollered right back.

Lilly balled her hands into fists, shaking her head in disbelief. "How could you expect me to leave you like that? You should've known better then to think I'd let you die without a fight!"

"I overestimated you," Daryl sneered. "Can't you see it was our only chance? Can't you see it was the best option?"

"It wasn't," Lilly retorted. "I need you, Daryl, I'd -!"

"That's your problem, isn't it," Daryl cut her off with a hollow laugh. "You just can't pull yourself together, can you? It's always about you - poor Lilly can't sleep, poor Lilly has nightmares, poor Lilly's too scared to function in life! You can't hunt, you can't fight, you can't do nothin' without someone holding your hand. You act like needin' me is some great thing, but all it really means is that you're nothin but a flaky little wuss that needs a mommy. You're nothin' but a coward, Lilly, a half-witted, stupid little coward!"

Lilly stepped back as Daryl's words hit harder and harder. His eyes were boring into hers, icy and hard, so full of hatred and fury. Lilly stared at Daryl's face, contorted into a livid snarl, barely even hearing what he was saying anymore. Her eyes were blurred with tears. Everything hurt.

She couldn't understand it. For the past month, she'd thought that her and Daryl were growing close. She'd looked up to him with respect and admiration. She'd been so happy and grateful for his presence in her life. And when that had been threatened, Lilly had been willing to do anything for him. The more Daryl yelled at her, the more the gravity of the situation she'd put herself in tore at her heart.

"If you seem to think so little of me," Lilly managed to growl, "why'd you even come back for me? Huh? Why didn't you just leave me and run?"

Daryl's face was red, spitting while he talked as emotions continued to poor unconventionally from his mouth. "Ya' know, that's a great question, Lilly! Maybe I shouldn't have - maybe I should've made the smart choice and left you there! You were so willing, after all, so ready to get chewed up like a piece of meat!"

Lilly could barely hear him anymore, flashbacks of Orren's hands on her body slithering into her mind. Of everyone's hands. Their hot breath on her neck, fast and excited to destroy her. Their laughter as she begged for Daryl. The feeling of utter helplessness and terror as they'd pinned her down on the ground, as Orren had crawled up her body, straddling her hips.

Daryl was oblivious to this, still spewing out every mean thing he could possibly come up with. As he screamed at her, he was unconsciously stepping closer, forcing her to stumble away until her back hit a tree. "You stupid schmuck! You practically skipped right into their arms and let them have their way with you! Didn't even stop to think about what I wanted, what I was trying to do for you, just threw me under the bus! Well you know what? Next time you've got some sicko drooling all over you, I'm not gonna do a thing! I'm just gonna leave you to cry your green little eyes out! Just like I should've left you in that dusty old attic. I should've left you to rot!"

Lilly's hand came clapping across Daryl's face with a loud crack. Daryl stepped back, blinking in shock, his cheek stinging. Lilly had just slapped him, bringing him out of the furious trance he'd been in and finally allowing him to see clearly.

Lilly was pressed against the tree, clutching her hand as it stung from the sharp contact with the side of Daryl's face. Hot tears were streaming down her cheeks, glistening in the moonlight. She was gnawing at her lip, outright trembling from head to toe.

"Shame on you, Daryl Dixon," Lilly choked out darkly. "I was about to give up my _soul_ for you, you ungrateful hick!"

Daryl watched as she broke down, leaning against the tree and hugging herself like her life depended on it. Something within Lilly had snapped, breaking the dam and letting her emotions flood out of her eyes. She couldn't stop crying. As she tried to swallow it back, sobs kept fighting their way out of her chest. Her face was ugly and twisted, illuminated with tear streaks and the ultimate embodiment of desolation.

The sight was enough to soothe the anger that had been boiling over. Daryl's shoulders slumped, his hands relaxing from their tight fists. The things he had just said circled through his mind and Daryl turned away from Lilly. He hadn't meant to hurt her. He hadn't intended to make her cry. It had all just come out in a flurry of emotions, mixtures of hurt and fear and relief.

The hunter had no idea how to express the things he needed to. Where could he even begin? How could he tell Lilly that he'd been ready to die for her, for the group? That he would have done it gladly if it meant he'd given them their best chance? How could he explain that when she'd shown up in that room, offering herself to Cain and his men on a silver platter, he'd never felt such horror and desperation in his life? It scared him. Nobody had ever been willing to sacrifice so much for him, and he didn't like it. The thought that Lilly cared enough about him to give herself up without a thought was terrifying. He wasn't worth that, and he couldn't have her thinking that he was. If Lilly ever ended up hurt, dead, or worse because of him, he didn't know how he could ever forgive himself. It would break him.

Lilly's quiet sniffles floated into the cold air. Daryl was at a loss as to what to do. He refused to say what she wanted to hear, to tell her that she'd made the right decision in coming back for him. She hadn't. It was a stupid thing to do, and Daryl wasn't about to say otherwise. But he did feel bad for the other things he'd said, about leaving her in the attic, about calling her a coward. He'd gotten carried away, and he knew that.

"Lilly," Daryl started to say, turning back around. Lilly didn't look at him, continuing to sniff and hold herself defensively. She didn't give him any sign that she was open to hearing more, too wrapped up in her own thoughts to care. Daryl sighed and fell silent. He'd give her some time.

Looking around, Daryl couldn't make heads or tails out of where they were. He hadn't thought about it. All he'd been able to think about was getting Lilly and himself as far away from Blackforest Retreat as possible. It was too dark to make out much more than the snow on the ground and the silhouettes of trees. Face burning from the cold, Daryl was glad that he'd been wearing the horse blanket when Cain had invaded. That and his jacket were the only two warm things he had.

Glancing at Lilly, he sighed sadly. The girl was in a wretched state - crying, shivering from both shock and cold, and only dressed in boots, skinny jeans, and an oversized red sweater. Daryl was going to have to figure out how to keep her from getting hypothermia. It was freezing, and as the night went on he knew it would only get colder.

Survival instincts kicked in, and Daryl looked around for fallen branches he could use. He managed to find a couple lying nearby and pulled them from the snow, leaning them against a large tree trunk. Lilly continued to hug herself, sniffing and blinking tears, watching in silence as Daryl wandered about and found more branches to drag, creating a lean-to. Once he had made somewhat of a shelter, he ripped foliage from bushes and laid them over the lean-to.

By the time Daryl had finished, Lilly had managed to stop her crying. She sniffled and held her hands close to her chest, shivering violently. Icy wind blew through her tangled hair, wet from when she'd fallen in the snow. She motionlessly watched as Daryl completed the lean-to and brushed snow out from under it, hissing as it burned his hands with cold and stuffing them under his horse blanket to get them dry again.

Then Daryl turned to Lilly and approached her. Lilly tensed, pressing herself into the tree behind her as he got closer. Daryl paused at that, his blue eyes searching her face sadly before looking away. "Here." Daryl pulled the horse blanket over his head and gently put in on the girl. She let him, closing her eyes as she felt the remnants of his body heat under the blanket.

Daryl didn't stop there. He put a warm hand on Lilly's back and gently nudged her to the lean-to. "Get under there - it'll keep the wind out."

Lilly obeyed quietly, shuffling through the snow to the lean-to and ducking under. She felt like a small child. Curling up in the tiny shelter and hugging Daryl's poncho close to herself, she leaned against the tree trunk. Daryl was now just in his leather jacket, and he looked cold. In spite of the fact they'd just had an extremely heated and loud argument, Lilly still was concerned. "What about you?"

"I'm gonna make a fire," Daryl replied quietly. "Don't worry 'bout me."

Lilly bit her lip and watched from under the lean-to as Daryl trudged about the area, gathering what dry twigs he could find and digging a small pit in the snow nearby. Once he'd gathered enough, he knelt down in front of the lean-to and started stacking the twigs in a teepee fashion. Just as Lilly started to worry about how in the world he expected to ignite the fire, Daryl pulled a lighter out of his back pocket.

Lilly opened her mouth, about to say something along the lines of 'good thing you had that handy,' but bit her tongue. She didn't dare speak, not when Daryl was so angry with her. Not after what had just happened.

It took quite a bit of time and swear words, but eventually Daryl managed to coax a small flame into life. The orange fire flinched at the wind, protected only by Daryl's hand as he cupped it, trying to create a shield. With gentle poking and prodding, the tiny flame eventually grew. It was still small, but it was enough to provide some warmth. Daryl huddled close to it, pulling his jacket tight around himself.

Lilly hugged herself tightly under the horse blanket around her shoulders. The lean-to wasn't much, but it helped with the wind and she was more than grateful enough for that. Her eyes felt puffy and sticky from crying. Her head ached. All that they had lost and been through was starting to make themselves known in her mind, but Lilly continuously pushed the thoughts away. Her and Daryl were in a bad situation - dwelling on the fact wasn't going to help.

As she watched Daryl cringe at a particularly strong gust of icy wind, Lilly wet her lips and spoke up. "Wanna switch?"

Daryl glanced at her tiny figure curled up under the lean-to and grunted. "Nah. I'll keep watch, you get some sleep."

Lilly didn't like the idea of him sitting in the wind all night. "But -"

" _No_ , Lilly." Daryl's voice was hard and firm, leaving no room for argument. He sounded ready to snap at her again. After a breath, he managed to soften his voice and add, "Just go to sleep."

Lilly clamped her mouth shut and stayed silent after that. Adjusting her position a bit, she tried to get comfortable, but that was hard when she was sitting on snow, leaning against a cold tree trunk. She tried to do as Daryl asked and shut her eyes, but for much of the night she didn't sleep so much as rest in a limbo area between consciousness and slumber.

Late into the night, Lilly finally drifted off. As the sounds of her soft breaths floated to Daryl's ears, his shoulders slumped and he finally let himself relax.

…

"Daryl! _Daryl!_ "

"C'mon, Lilly, not now! Wake up!"

Hands snaking over her body. Greedy eyes exposing every part of her soul. Fingers brushing over her face, burning her skin, tangling in her hair. Hot breath. Gunshots. Fear, strong enough to turn into physical sickness.

" _Lilly_! Wake up!"

Suddenly just two hands were there, warm on her shoulders, shaking her out of oblivion and back into consciousness. Lilly's eyes shot open with a start. Daryl's blue eyes were in front of her, wide and steady. Lilly drank the sight in, gasping and shivering violently. "Daryl…"

"It was just a dream, Lilly," he told her calmly. He was kneeling in front of her in the opening of the lean - to, clouds of breath escaping his mouth.

Lilly wanted to accept the comfort. She wanted to let him coax her into serenity like he used to, but it was different this time. "But… It wasn't just a dream, Daryl, it was real," she breathed. A lump formed in her throat and her eyes started to blur with sudden tears. "It was all real."

She couldn't push it back anymore, couldn't make herself ignore the fact that the world had crashed and burned that night. The evidence of it was all around her - the snow, the wind, the darkness. Blackforest Retreat had been their safe haven, and it was gone. Rick and the rest of the group was gone. The things in her nightmares - the monsters seeking to destroy her in every way possible - they were in the real world. They'd almost succeeded in ruining her. She'd been so close to losing everything: Her life, her very soul. She'd almost lost Daryl. And they were nowhere close to recovering. They were stranded alone in the middle of nowhere on the brink of freezing. Anything could happen, those men could find them again. They might never find their way to safety. There was so much that had gone wrong, that could go wrong, and it was overwhelming. It was worse than when she'd lost her family in the cabin. At least she'd had her attic then, a place to stay safe and avoid the possibility of further destruction. Out here, there were no walls to protect her, and her only anchor had clearly expressed that he wished he'd never met her. Loss, pain, rejection, fear, sadness - Lilly was feeling it all in a torrent of waves.

She burst into sobs, burying her face in her hands. Lilly could feel Daryl's eyes closely watching as she broke down, squeezing her eyes shut in humiliation. She was not strong. She was not brave. She was nothing but a weak, broken girl trapped in a world of survivors.

"I'm so sorry," Lilly gasped between sobs, her entire body trembling with the weight of all that was wrong with the world. "I can't do this anymore. I'm sorry."

Daryl watched Lilly crumble into a million pieces, her random plea for forgiveness hitting his core. She looked so lost, as if everything she'd been building up over the last month was cracking and falling away. All of her hard work was on the edge of falling into nonexistence.

He couldn't let that happen. So what if they'd had a fight? Daryl fought with everyone. It didn't mean he didn't care any less. As anguish continued to pour from Lilly's eyes in the form of salty tears and bitter whimpers, Daryl tightened his grip on her shoulders.

Lilly didn't seem to be aware of what she was doing. The acknowledgment from Daryl seemed to be all her body needed. Still crying deeply, she leaned into her friend and rested her forehead on his chest, tucked under his chin. It didn't matter that she thought he was still angry with her, she needed to feel him there. His sturdy presence alone helped ground her frantic thoughts.

Daryl was surprised and a little uncomfortable with the contact as Lilly pressed herself into him. But he wasn't about to push her away - not when she was so fragile. So he decided to go with it, awkwardly wrapping an arm around her shoulders and resting his other hand on the back of her head. He had no idea what he was doing, but the gesture seemed to help Lilly. She cried harder, letting everything tumble out in a mess of sobs. The feeling of her body heaving with cries made Daryl automatically hold her tighter.

He didn't say anything. What was there to say? They were in a bad situation, and he wasn't about to pretend it was fine. It wasn't.

Lilly continued to cry into Daryl's chest for another ten minutes. He silently let her, unsure of what else to do other than be there. That was all Lilly seemed to need, anyway.

When her cries finally dissolved into hiccups, Lilly reluctantly pulled away from his warm body and wiped at her eyes. In the dim moonlight, Daryl could see that her eyes were swollen and her skin was blotchy. She seemed to sense that, ducking her head and letting her hair fall over her face in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Daryl." Her voice was raw and crackly from crying.

"You don't have those sleeping meds Hershel gave ya'," Daryl reasoned calmly. "I figured the night terrors would come back."

"No," Lilly shook her head, looking up at him earnestly. "I mean, I'm sorry for everything. I didn't mean to make you angry. And I should be able to handle this better. I should be stronger…"

Daryl found his hand hovering to her face, itching to push a strand of hair out of her eyes. As soon as he realized what he was doing, he snatched his hand back before she could notice. "Lilly," he rolled his eyes. "You jumped into a room full of murderers and rapists to save a redneck hick. Now I still think that's the stupidest thing you've ever done, but it wasn't weak." Lilly's eyes widened at the statement, flickering with the smallest bit of hope. "You're good enough. Don't ever doubt that, ya' hear?"

Lilly nodded, sniffing and rubbing at her eyes. "Sorry."

Daryl huffed in annoyance. "What have I told ya' before, princess? Quit apologizin'."

A small smile trembled onto Lilly's lips. She choked out a small laugh. "Right, I forgot."

They both fell silent. Lilly sniffed and took a deep breath, relief washing through her. She'd needed to have that meltdown. While it was exhausting and had left her with a splitting headache, she felt much better now that her pent up emotions had been given a chance to breath. Lilly could think clearer now, and she finally felt able to accurately express what she needed to.

"Daryl?"

"Hm?"

Lilly bit her lip, nervous to continue. "I know you think I made a stupid choice, going back for you… I know you think I should have just left you. And I agree, it _was_ a stupid thing to do. But… you have to understand something. In the last month… for whatever reason… you've become the most important thing in my life, and I'm never, ever gonna leave you. Not without a fight. So you better get used to it." Lilly's authoritative tone caught Daryl off guard. He listened silently, not sure how to react. Lilly wasn't done, though. "No more throwing your life away, okay? You're worth more than that. Whatever happens, we're dealing with it together."

"Same goes for you," the hunter responded gruffly. Daryl avoided her suddenly piercing gaze. Her care for him was something he wasn't sure he'd ever get used to, and at the moment it was so potent that he nearly forgot to breath. It gave him an uncomfortable mix of joy and fear. As he wondered why that was, something hit him. Even though they were getting along now, Lilly was still hurt by the things he'd said earlier. If Daryl was ever going to be able to return the care she gave him, he had to clear some things up.

"About what I said earlier… If someone ever tried to lay a finger on you, I wouldn't let 'em. If they so much as looked at you wrong, I'd kill 'em."

"It's okay, Daryl," Lilly interrupted quietly. "I know you wouldn't -"

"I mean it, though," Daryl insisted, his blue eyes sharply meeting hers. "Lilly, I would never, ever, let you get hurt... I'll always protect you. Understand?"

His words sent warmth blooming in Lilly's chest. His eyes were urgent and sincere, as if he needed her to know that she was safe with him. Lilly knew that Daryl hadn't meant the things he'd said earlier, but to hear it from him this way, so genuine and caring, was almost enough to make her cry all over again. A shy smile on her lips, Lilly nodded. "I'm glad you're here, Daryl."

They couldn't tear their eyes away from each other, locked in a trance as they both realized just how glad they were to have each other around. It felt like they might stay that way forever until a cold wind interrupted the moment and made Daryl shiver.

Lilly frowned and moved to scoot out of the lean-to. "Get in here, you need a break."

"Nah," Daryl stopped her quickly. "I'm fine."

Lilly pursed her lips and glared at him. "Stop lying, this wind is going to be the death of you."

"You need to sleep -"

"So do you!"

"I've gotta keep watch -"

"Daryl." Lilly said sternly. He was just making excuses now, and she was tired of it. "You have to take care of yourself too. Okay? Now get in here and sleep."

At Daryl's hesitation, she crawled out of the lean-to and stood up, brushing snow off her pants. "If I hear or see something, I'll wake you up. Promise."

Daryl knew she wasn't going to back down, and he knew she was right. So with a scowl, he finally relented. "Fine." Lilly watched him duck into the lean-to and lean against the tree trunk. "Wake me up if anything happens."

Lilly resisted the urge to roll her eyes. _That's what I just said_. "Okay."

As Lilly crouched down by the barely surviving fire, she listened for the tell-tale snores that would assure her Daryl was actually doing what she asked. It didn't take long, the exhausted hunter finally surrendering and quickly falling asleep.

With a small smile, Lilly settled down for a long watch, feeling much better despite the shadows around them. "Goodnight, Daryl."


	18. Chapter 18

When Daryl peeled his eyes open the next morning, golden sunlight was streaming through the trees and bouncing off the snow. Lilly was in the same position he'd left her at, sitting by the now extinguished fire and hugging her knees. Her back was to him, her long chocolate hair shining like a halo in the sunlight. Tangled and dry, it still managed to enchant him in a strange way, his blue eyes following the ethereal waves flowing down her back like a waterfall.

That's when he noticed how badly she was shivering. With a grunt, Daryl crawled out of the lean-to. His body ached in protest, far from happy with the current sleeping arrangements. As Daryl stepped around Lilly so that he was in front of her, he could see her teeth chattering madly. Her green eyes stared straight ahead. For a moment, Daryl worried that she wasn't even aware of her surroundings.

"Goodmorning," Lilly croaked, her tiny voice crackly and raw.

Daryl eyed her frigid appearance in concern. She looked like she was moments away from became an ice statue. "You should've woken me up earlier."

"Nothing hap-p-pened," Lilly stuttered through frozen lips.

"What about the fire goin' out?"

"I was gonna re-light it… in a minute."

Daryl frowned and glared at her. "For one so insistent on me takin' care of myself, you're sure crappy at it."

Lilly looked up at him with a helpless shrug. "It's f-f-freezing. And the fire wasn't helping much anyway."

Sensing that the cold was adding to Lilly's lack of brains at the moment, Daryl rolled his eyes. "Alright, it's time for you to warm up." Before Lilly could respond, he'd bent down and grabbed her by the shoulders, hoisting her to her feet. Lilly's bones ached at the movement and she moaned in protest. With a huff, Daryl got to work running his hands up and down her arms rapidly, trying to use the friction to get her warm.

Lilly closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling. Daryl's movements were bringing warmth back to her skin and she sighed with relief.

Suddenly, Daryl's hands were cupping her face. Lilly looked up just in time to see his face descending to hers and jumped back in alarm. "What are you doing?!"

"Breathing on your face," Daryl frowned obliviously. "It'll help warm it."

Lilly blinked at him. For a moment, she had thought... As a blush started to dust her cheeks, she felt her face heat up and had a feeling that breathing on it wouldn't be necessary anymore. "Um… That's okay, I'm feeling alright now."

Daryl furrowed his brows, not sure why she was acting so strange suddenly. As if to prove that what she was saying was true, Lilly put her hands on her cheeks (mostly to cover the blush) and gave him an awkward smile. "Mm, better."

When Daryl continued to blink at her suspiciously, she hurriedly changed the subject. "How'd you sleep?"

"As good as I could have, I guess," Daryl shrugged, finally looking away from her and at the forest around them. Lilly watched his calculating gaze, wondering what was going through his mind.

"So…" she started nervously. "What do we do now?"

That was a wonderful - if not obvious - question, Daryl thought. Their weapons had been left at Blackforest Retreat. They had no food, no shelter. As far as the group was concerned, Rick probably thought Daryl and Lilly were dead. If Rick had chosen to be smart - which Daryl hoped he had - he and the group had probably put themselves a long distance away from the cabin. Their vehicles had all been left behind, meaning the group was probably in a similar situation to Daryl and Lilly.

He thought about going back, retrieving their things. But there was no way of knowing how many of Cain's men had survived. Daryl guessed that he'd managed to take out quite a few, but he was sure there were still some left. Perhaps if he'd been completely on his own, Daryl might have decided to go back. But he had Lilly with him - the girl who everyone had been eager to get their hands on and who would likely fight hard to steal her back. There was no way he was even going to risk the chance of that happening.

For now, they'd steer clear of Blackforest Retreat.

"Maybe we could head to the road?" Lilly suggested quietly. "See if we can catch up with the rest of the group?"

"They're probably long gone by now," Daryl sighed. "It could take weeks to find 'em again."

"Well it's not like we've got any better things to do," Lilly shrugged. "And besides, you're a hunter - we can track them. Just like we do with the animals."

Daryl looked down at Lilly, the corners of his lips twitching at her seemingly endless faith in him. Lilly's green eyes were clear and hopeful - all remnants of the crying wreck he'd seen last night buried deep inside. She had a point - what else were they going to do? It could take a while, but in the world of the walking dead, time wasn't really an issue anymore. "Yeah, alright. Let's do it."

Looking up at the sky, Daryl determined which way the road should be. After a moment of figuring out which direction they'd run from the cabin last night, he made an educated guess. "This way to the road."

Kicking over what was left of the pitiful firepit he'd made, Daryl set off in that direction. If he estimated right, it should only be a half day's journey to the road. Lilly followed after, snuggling into Daryl's poncho as she went.

They wove through the trees for a quiet hour, both lost in their own thoughts. At least they had somewhat of a destination now. There was still the concern of food and shelter, but Daryl figured that they'd hopefully run across the tracks of something to eat that day, and he'd make do with the shelter like they had the night before if needed. The sky was a clear blue above them, not a cloud in sight. As Lilly squinted, the brightness of the sun bouncing off the snow and hurting her eyes, she vaguely remembered learning once that the absence of clouds at night could make Earth's surface colder. While she was thankful for the sun now, she hoped that some clouds would show up and form a blanket before it set.

Lilly couldn't believe how cold it had gotten. Even in the middle of the day, her fingers were red and the tip of her nose was burned with frost. Puffs of air were visible before her each time her or Daryl exhaled. She desperately wished that she had been better equipped as far as clothes went. At least her boots were decent.

A little after noon, Daryl caught a tell-tale sight of rabbit tracks. He barely even needed to pause to recognize them. The snow made them easy to read. Quickly veering off track, Daryl reached up and snapped a thin branch off a tree. Lilly paused in her steps. "What are you doing?"

"Don't have weapons, don't have time to set a trap," Daryl explained gruffly. "We'll have to settle with this."

Lilly watched Daryl grip the branch and continue after the rabbit tracks, not sure how this was going to go down. Stomach grumbling, and curiosity itching at her brain, she moved softly after him.

It was comforting to stalk through the forest like this - as if they were on a normal hunt. Lilly could pretend that nothing bad had ever happened, that her and Daryl could return to the cabin and cook dinner for the group at any time. Relaxed by the almost artistic movements of slipping through the forest without a sound, Lilly managed to forget the predicament she and Daryl were in for the moment.

They caught up to the rabbit about a half hour later. The fluffy grey rodent paused, pricking its long ears and looking around with big black eyes. Lilly silently looked at Daryl, trying to figure out what he intended to do next. Daryl leaned up against a tree, branch in hand, and motioned for Lilly to go around and scare the rabbit from the other side. While Lilly doubted the plan would work, she nodded anyway and started making her careful way around the perimeter of the rabbit.

Daryl watched her pick through the snow, glad that it was Lilly and not anyone else. Anyone except her would have botched up this whole plan, making a wrong move and scaring the rabbit away for good. But Lilly prowled through the foliage easily, almost dancing as she carefully picked out each step she took. If there was ever two people who could catch a rabbit without weapons, it was Daryl and Lilly.

Once Lilly had made it to the opposite side of the rabbit, she looked up at Daryl for her cue. He adjusted the branch in his hands and nodded.

Lilly leapt out of the bushes and shouted at the rabbit. As hoped, the tiny creature jumped into action, scurrying away from Lilly as fast as it could, almost becoming a grey blur in the snow. Daryl prayed that he was timing it right and swung the branch down as hard as he could. It hit the blur of a rabbit with a crack.

The rabbit fell still under the branch. Daryl had managed to hit it right in the neck, snapping the fragile spinal cord instantly.

Lilly jumped in the snow with a cheer. "Yes! I can't believe you hit that!"

A lopsided smile formed on Daryl's face. "Me neither."

Bending down, Daryl grabbed the rabbit by its ears and examined it. Using a hand to feel around its neck, he could see that it had been completely snapped in half. Lilly approached, smiling happily at the limp creature. Without thinking, she reached up to feel its broken neck to, her fingers brushing against Daryl's. "I sound like a broken record, but seriously - you're amazing."

Daryl felt his face heat up and looked away, quickly handing her the dead rabbit. "Yeah, whatever. Let's get movin'. We'll cook it tonight."

Stomach growling impatiently, Lilly sighed and grasped the rabbit in her hands, unconsciously swinging it a little as she followed after Daryl.

Several hours later, the pair reached the road. It took a moment to pick it out, as snow and ice had covered the asphalt and made it blend in with the rest of the forest. The only thing that told Lilly and Daryl it was there was the fact that the trees were cleared and the sight of tire tracks.

"Must be from when Cain and his men drove by," Daryl reasoned. Lilly eyed the tracks uneasily, shuddering when she realized where they'd come from. Stepping on the edge of the road, Daryl and Lilly followed the tire tracks for a time, finally coming to the place where they'd turned into the side road leading to Blackforest Retreat. It was disconcerting to see Cain's path, to see how him and his men had found their safe haven. Lilly looked up the side road, a mixture of longing for the cabin and fear from being so close to it gnawing at her heart.

What stood out to her even more was the sight of footprints scattered along the road, turning onto the main road and traveling into the distance. The rest of the group. There was so many prints - it couldn't have been anyone else. Daryl and Lilly both stared at the sight. On one hand, they were both thankful that there were clear prints to follow. On the other hand, that meant that whoever of Cain's men had survived could easily go follow them as well. Lilly prayed that they wouldn't, that the cabin would be good enough and Cain's men would just leave them alone.

"We better keep movin'," Daryl said quietly. His blue eyes were warily eyeing the side road, worried that Cain's men would pop up at any moment. Lilly nodded in agreement and set after the footprints. Eager to distance her from the danger, Daryl followed behind, glancing over his shoulder every once and awhile.

They followed the tracks for the rest of the day. By the time the sun started to set, Lilly was ready to tip over and sleep on the road. She was freezing, and even though her boots were helpful against the snow, cold still seeped into her toes. Daryl wasn't much better off, his hands red and dry and his cheeks frosted in pink. As he watched Lilly stumble a little in front of him, he decided it was time to settle down for the night.

They traveled a few minutes off the road and into the forest, just in case someone came driving by and saw them. While Daryl set to work building a fire pit like he had the night before, Lilly worked on finding branches to make another lean-to. She decided to try and make one bigger than the last one had been so that both her and Daryl could fit inside. It took more work, but Lilly was able to get the basic shape of it up by the time the fire had been lit.

Daryl stood up from where he'd been crouched by the fire, turning to Lilly. "You got the rabbit?"

"Yeah." Lilly left the lean-to and picked through the snow towards him, pulling it out from where she'd tucked it in her belt loop. As she held the rabbit out to him, a wave of dizziness hit her. Briefly seeing black spots in her vision, Lilly fell forward.

Daryl quickly caught her, wrapping an arm around her waist and letting her lean on him as she regained her balance. "You alright?"

Lilly took a deep breath, closing her eyes as the dizziness faded. "Just a little light headed."

"Probably hungry," he muttered. "Sit down." Lilly didn't need to be asked twice, sinking to the ground and sitting in the snow by the fire. Daryl kept a hand on her shoulder to make sure she wasn't going to fall again. Once she was settled, he let go and took the rabbit from her hand.

"How do we skin it without a knife?" Lilly frowned blearily.

Daryl sat down next to her, grasping the rabbit by its back legs. "Like this." Under Lilly's fascinated gaze, he took hold of a back ankle and dug into it, ripping the skin with his fingers. It was messier than normal, but it did the trick. As Daryl continued to tear into the rabbit with his bare hands, Lilly wrinkled her nose at the blood.

While Daryl worked on the rabbit, Lilly grabbed handfuls of snow and ate it. Knowing that it was no good to her frozen, Lilly let the cold white bits of ice melt in her mouth before swallowing. _At least we're surrounded by frozen water_ , she thought. Of all the ways they could die, thirst would not be one of them.

By the time the rabbit had been cooked, the sun had vanished in the horizon. Daryl ripped the creature in half, handing one side to Lilly. She held it awkwardly in her hands, unsure of how to eat the bony thing. Next to her, Daryl was already digging in, his teeth crunching into the animal. Lilly grimaced.

When Daryl looked over to see she hadn't started eating, he rolled his eyes. "No room to be picky, princess. Just eat it."

Lilly was a little reluctant, but when her stomach growled loudly she decided she could get over herself and dug in. It was messy, and a little disturbing when things that weren't meat ended up in her mouth, but her hunger won out. At least it was cooked.

Stomachs full and exhausted from walking in the snow all day, Daryl and Lilly huddled around the fire and tried to warm their hands. "I'll take first watch," Lilly told her friend.

Daryl automatically thought to protest, but then shut his mouth when he realized there wasn't a reason to. They were going to have to take turns anyway, and with Lilly's night terrors back, Daryl was going to need all the sleep he could get. With a grunt, he stood up and ducked into the lean-to. Lilly followed, scooching in next to him.

"What're you doin?" Daryl frowned.

"This way, we both get warm," Lilly replied simply, settling down against his side. When she felt Daryl continue to sit tensely, she rolled her eyes. "Relax, Daryl. Body heat is good." Smirking a little, she added, "No room to be picky."

The girl had a point. With the sky clear and starry, promising an extra cold night, anything they could do to keep warm was necessary. Daryl forced himself to relax, the feeling of Lilly pressed against his shoulder strange - but not in a bad way, he eventually decided. Leaning his head back against the tree trunk, Daryl shut his eyes. He was out within the minute.

…..

"Daryl," Lilly whispered quietly. She'd been up for a little more than half the night, and her neck was barely able to keep her head upright. Scooting away from Daryl's comfortable body heat, she knelt outside of the lean-to and poked his shoulder. "Daryl."

The man was out cold, the only indicator that he was alive being the occasional snore. Lilly sighed, hating to wake him up from his peaceful slumber. He looked like he'd really needed it, and his face was soft and absent of his seemingly permanent scowl for once. She wished she could let him stay that way, but it was all she could do to keep from nodding off. So with reluctance, Lilly gently reached out and shook his shoulder. "Daryl."

Daryl's hand shot up and wrapped around her wrist tightly. Lilly jumped, automatically trying to pull away but finding that she was stuck. As she looked up at Daryl's face, she could see he was still asleep, though his brows were now knotted. Lilly patted Daryl's shoulder with her free hand, still trying to pull her wrist out of his painful grip. "Ouch - Daryl, wake up!"

To her relief, Daryl's eyes fluttered open at last. "Mm- what?" he mumbled groggily.

"Well first, let go of my hand," Lilly grumbled.

"Let go of your…?" Daryl started, his eyes traveling down to where he was holding her wrist. He let go quickly, as if the contact had burned him. "Oh."

Lilly bit back a smile. "I could replace your teddy bear if you _really_ needed, but…"

"Shut up."

Lilly snickered quietly and backed away so that Daryl could stretch and move out of the lean-to. The hunter rubbed at his eyes and crawled out, poking at the fire. "My turn to watch?" he guessed.

"I can barely keep my eyes open," Lilly told him apologetically.

"No problem, go to sleep," Daryl yawned. As he worked on coaxing the dying fire back to life, Lilly crawled into the lean-to and rested her head against the tree trunk. Her eyes quickly drooped shut. She shivered a little, pulling Daryl's horse blanket tighter around herself and curling her knees up to her chest.

Just as she started to fall asleep, something bumped her shoulder. "Hm?" Lilly started to open her eyes, lifting her heavy head.

Daryl's low voice rumbled quietly into her ear. "Just gettin' warm. Go back to sleep."

Lilly didn't need to be asked twice, unconsciously cuddling up closer to Daryl and letting her head fall on his shoulder. Daryl stiffened a little at the contact, but relaxed as Lilly's body heat quickly started to warm his side. He sat like that for most of the night, leaning against the tree under the lean-to and finding himself enjoying the feeling of Lilly resting against his shoulder.

Several hours into the night, Lilly started to stir and whimper. Knowing that her night terrors were taking effect, he gently nudged her with his elbow. "Lilly."

Lilly's face twisted into one of anguish. Still asleep, she pressed her forehead into Daryl's shoulder. "No…"

Daryl didn't think, his mind focusing on getting her awake before she got too panicked. He put a cold hand on her face, tapping her cheek with his fingers. "Lilly, wake up."

Lilly flinched at the cold touch, but still didn't wake. Daryl brought his other hand up and cradled her face, hoping his cold skin would do the trick. "C'mon Lilly," he encouraged softly. "Wake up."

Lilly's eyes opened slowly, blinking away the nightmare. The worry lines on her face smoothed over as she took a deep breath. "Daryl?" she whispered incoherently, touching his hands with her own.

Daryl let go of her face quickly, settling back down. "Just started havin' a nightmare. Go back to sleep now."

Lilly yawned with an understanding nod and let her head drop back on his shoulder, already falling back asleep. Her small hands wrapped around his arm. Daryl couldn't help but smirk at that, looking forward to teasing her about needing a teddy bear when she woke up. But as the night went on, he decided that teasing her wasn't a great idea. As Lilly snuggled closer, hugging his arm tighter, he found that he didn't want her to stop.

…

When the sun started to rise, Daryl woke Lilly up and ducked out of the lean-to. While Lilly rubbed her eyes tiredly and got out, he kicked snow over the fire pit. Lilly reached down and grabbed some snow, letting it melt in her mouth. "Goodmorning."

"'Morning," Daryl replied absently. It was going to be another long day of trudging through the snow. "We better get movin', the group's probably up by now."

"Okay." Lilly grimaced, not looking forward to another cold day. She followed Daryl back to the road and they picked up where they'd left off the night before.

As icy wind stung Lilly's nose and cheeks, she stepped closer to Daryl so that their arms were brushing. Daryl didn't seem to mind, as he didn't do anything to change it. They walked through the snow like that for the rest of the morning. Only one day in, and it had already gotten tedious.

Every once and awhile, Lilly would stumble, bumping into Daryl's side. As Daryl looked down at her and took in her shivering form, he frowned. They were surviving alright so far, but eventually the cold was going to take its toll on her. On both of them.

With rejuvenated determination, Daryl picked up their pace. He grit his teeth. _We better find Rick soon_.


	19. Chapter 19

**Just wanted to give everyone a head's up. School is starting back up tomorrow, which means I'm not gonna have as much time to write, unfortunately. I will do my best to keep things going, but I just wanted to warn you that updates are probably going to slow down to about two or three times a week - depending on how things go.**

 **Thanks for your continuous support! Hope that you're enjoying the story. I appreciate you all taking the time to read and review, it's turned this into a really great experience for me.**

A little into the afternoon, the group's footprints travelled off the road. Daryl and Lilly followed them into the forest, soon coming across a deep fire pit not unlike the one's Daryl had been making. "They must have slept here," Lilly observed out loud.

"Well done, Sherlock," Daryl snorted.

Lilly gave him a playful glare. "Just saying."

They both looked around at the mesh of footprints in the area, remnants of lean-to's scattered about the trees. Lilly's face fell. She imagined the rest of the group, all in just the same situation as her and Daryl, freezing in the snow. She could envision it clearly in her mind - after a long night of running from Blackforest Retreat, the group would come to a stop, gasping for breath and shivering. Rick would have his hands on his hips, his eyes stressed and calculating as he tried to figure out what to do next. Perhaps they would suddenly realize that two members of their group were gone. Rick would explain what had happened - that Daryl and Lilly had stayed behind. The revelation would bring a sad silence upon the group, their faces falling as they mourned the loss of Daryl. Lilly wasn't so sure about herself - Maggie and Glenn might miss her at the very least. After that, Rick would summon what strength he had to give instruction, setting up lean-to's and building a fire. Everyone would huddle close together for warmth, dwelling in all that they had just lost, wondering what was going to happen to them now.

A smaller footprint caught Lilly's eye and her heart sunk. Carl. Beth. Hershel. Carol. T-Dog. Maggie. Glenn. Rick. Lori. All of them were stuck in the cold somewhere, struggling to survive. How were they going to get food? Without Daryl to hunt, they were probably having a horrific time finding something to eat - and they had more people to feed. As far as keeping warm, not many of them had been equipped for running out in the snow. Hopefully the fact that there were a lot of people to spread body heat would help.

It made Lilly ill to think of them slowly starving, freezing, dying. She prayed that they'd pull through, that they'd find something to keep them alive.

Daryl could see what Lilly was thinking. It was plain from the way she gnawed at her lip and the crease between her brows. The man couldn't blame her. He was worried too. "Lilly."

Lilly looked up at him with her clear green eyes, wide with new urgency. "We've got to find them, Daryl."

"I know."

"Carl's just a kid, and Lori… She's got a baby inside of her. And Hershel could get sick so easily -"

"I know, Lilly," Daryl stopped her before she could go in too deeply. "We're doin' the best we can. So are they. And if I know anything about Rick, it's that he'll do everything in his power to keep them alive." Lilly looked back down at Carl's footprint, far from reassured.

"Hey," Daryl said. Lilly looked back up to meet his determined blue eyes. "Worrying isn't gonna help anyone. We'll find 'em. Just gotta keep moving."

Lilly reluctantly nodded. "Okay."

Daryl looked around the remains of the group's camp. "I'm guessin' they settled here the night Cain came in. That means we're about two days away - as long as the tracks stay clear and if we hurry. C'mon."

With a final look around, Lilly followed the hunter through the trees, leaving the camp behind.

As they wove deeper into the forest, the ground started to slope ever so slightly. It made walking a little more uncomfortable, much to Daryl and Lilly's dismay. But their group's tracks went this way, so they followed.

It wasn't long before Lilly's stomach started to grumble. "Shush," she whispered to herself quietly.

"What?" Daryl turned to look at her.

Lilly blushed, realizing she was talking to herself. "Nothing." She didn't want to mention her hunger. Things were stressful enough as it was, and she already knew that Daryl was keeping an eye out for animal tracks. They hadn't come across any so far.

When her stomach grumbled again, Lilly crossed her arms over it and clenched her jaw, hoping that Daryl wouldn't notice. He didn't seem to.

Another hour went by, Lilly's stomach complaining like a spoiled child. Lilly mentally chided it each time it moaned. _Patience, Mr. Stomach. Please stop whining._

For what felt like the millionth time, her stomach responded with a mournful bellow. Daryl stopped out of the blue and gave her a withering glare. "Can you tell your stomach to shut up?"

Lilly blinked in shock. Apparently he had been able to hear it. Quickly recovering, she moved her feet and kept walking. "Already tried to."

Daryl watched Lilly walk ahead of him, repressing a frustrated sigh. She wasn't the only one getting hungry. He had hoped they'd come by something to eat by now, but it seemed that Fate had other ideas. Mentally cursing, he followed after Lilly, his blue eyes sorting through every detail around them, desperate to find _something_.

Late into the afternoon, something good finally happened. Daryl spotted a tiny trail of squirrel tracks. "Hold up."

Lilly stopped and turned around, falling his gaze to the little paw prints on the ground. Her face lit up immediately. "Squirrel?"

"Yup."

"Is it close?"

"Just came through less than ten minutes ago."

Turning away from the group's tracks, the pair followed the squirrel's footprints quickly. It was essential that they hurry - squirrels were difficult to track once they got in the trees. Stepping carefully through the forest, Lilly frowned. "How are we even going to catch it?" she whispered to Daryl.

"We'll figure somethin' out," he replied quietly. Truth be told, he had no idea. But they couldn't pass up a chance for food, they had to at least try.

As they continued to follow the tracks for another five minutes, the ground continued to slope until it made walking a little more slippery than normal. This made creeping through the forest a bit more difficult, but both Lilly and Daryl managed.

They found the squirrel just in time, catching sight of it as it scurried up a tree. Lilly and Daryl both stopped quickly, eyeing the area around them. The squirrel had stopped just short of a steep hill, the snowy ground abruptly descending into a treacherous drop that was close to vertical. If it wasn't for the snow and trees that somehow clung to the area, Lilly might have called it a cliff.

They had to be careful from here on. One wrong move, and the squirrel would be lost to them. Daryl slowly picked up a fallen branch from the ground. Their strategy with the rabbit yesterday had worked flawlessly, but it was a little different when their target was half way up a tree.

Lilly seemed to be thinking the same thing, her green eyes scanning the area and trying to figure out how she could scare the creature back down. There was another tree next to the one the squirrel currently sat on, its branches overlapping with its neighbor's. It was arranged just right, perfect for climbing.

An idea struck. Turning to Daryl, Lilly pointed at the tree and then at herself. Daryl understood what she was suggesting immediately, but hesitated. There was a lot that could go wrong.

But Lilly's stomach grumbled, and he forgot about the possibilities. If there was even a chance that they could get that squirrel, they had to go for it. So with an approving nod, Daryl adjusted the branch in his grip. Lilly turned away and crept around the perimeter, careful not to alert the squirrel of the danger it was in.

Slowly making her way to the tree, Lilly twiddled her fingers, trying to get some feeling into her hands. Then she silently reached up and grasped a branch, lifting herself off the ground and into the tree. It wasn't terribly far up, only one more branch to climb and Lilly was level with the squirrel. It was as if Mother Nature had built everything perfectly just for her and Daryl. A branch extended into the tree next to it, providing the perfect ledge on which to scare the squirrel down.

Daryl watched with bated breath as Lilly carefully slid further out onto the branch, adjusting his position to where the squirrel would most likely run to. Gripping the cold bark tightly, Lilly bit her lip. She still wasn't as close to the squirrel as she would like to be. Who knew when their next chance to eat would be? She had to make sure this worked. So Lilly quietly scooted a little more forward.

Daryl eyed the way the branch was tilting under her weight. Any farther, and it might snap. He looked up at Lilly, trying to catch her eye and communicate this to her, but she was intent on her task. Lilly squinted at the oblivious squirrel, cleaning its fur. She spared a glance down at Daryl, who was giving her an odd look as if he was trying to tell her something. Lilly frowned, glancing between him and the squirrel. "Just a little farther," she mouthed.

Before Daryl could say no, she had already looked away and was sidling onto her stomach, crawling further along on the branch. He opened his mouth to tell her that was far enough, but hesitated. The squirrel was in perfect position. They couldn't mess this up.

Lilly gripped the branch under her tightly, wobbling a little as it wavered under her weight. A gust of wind blew through the air, causing the branch to move more. Lilly gripped onto it as hard as she could, trying to mold herself to the wood. For the first time, she eyed the steep drop nearby. The tree - and her - were hanging precariously over the edge. Swallowing, Lilly forced herself to look away and focus on the task at hand.

Glancing down at Daryl, she gave him the tiniest of nods. Daryl nodded back, confirming that he was ready. Lilly looked back up at the squirrel, letting go of the branch with one hand so that she could scare it. More wind blew, causing the tree to sway back and forth and making it harder for Lilly to balance. Tightening her grip, she grit her teeth and count down. _Three, two, one…_

The movement of Lilly's arm plus a strong gust of wind seemed to be all the branch needed to give up. With a loud, sickening crack, the branch snapped.

Lilly gasped as she felt her support drop from under her, falling forward.

The squirrel fled at the commotion, though Daryl wasn't paying attention anymore. His eyes widened in horror as he watched Lilly completely lose her balance and tumble downwards. It all seemed to happen in slow motion. Lilly's mouth opened in a silent scream, her breath caught in her lungs. She was falling, hitting another tree branch on the way down with her shoulder. The hit was hard enough to make her entire body flop sideways, knocking her from her original path the ground directly below. Instead, Lilly landed on the steep, almost cliff-like slope and was sent rolling downward.

The world blurring around her, Lilly tried to grasp the snow on the ground, the foliage whizzing past her, but she couldn't catch herself.

"Lilly!" Daryl shouted in alarm, watching as her body went crashing down the slope. Her back hit a tree painfully and her limbs flopped like a limp ragdoll, but it didn't stop her descent. She slipped pass it, falling more than rolling now. It seemed like she would be tumbling through the snow for eternity. At last, Lilly's small figure finally reached the end of the hill, her head hitting a boulder with a loud _crack_.

Daryl was frozen, dread clamping around his throat. Lilly's tiny form lay limp at the bottom of the ditch. She didn't move. The crack of her head hitting rock continued to echo in Daryl's ears, and he thought he might throw up. " _Lilly!_ " He shouted again, hoping she would answer. His plea for assurance was met with silence. Lilly made no sound, no movement, gave no sign that she was even conscious. He feared the worst.

Cursing and swearing, Daryl dropped the branch he'd been holding and rushed to the edge of the slope. He climbed down as fast as he safely could, sliding in the snow and using foliage and trees to control his descent. As he drew closer, Lilly's motionless figure taunted him. His mind was racing with all the injuries she could have gotten. She could have broken her back, snapped her neck, hit her head hard enough to cause brain damage. All for a stupid squirrel.

Daryl slid to a stop next to her, crouching down, his hands hovering over her limp figure uncertainly. Lilly's eyes were closed, her pale face resting against the rock with parted lips. "Lilly," Daryl said, tentatively letting his fingers run along the back of her neck. He didn't feel any fracture there, much to his relief. Feeling okay to move her now that he knew her neck wasn't injured, Daryl carefully slid an arm under her and adjusted her body so that her back was leaning against the rock she'd hit.

Brushing her hair aside, Daryl found a laceration on her forehead. Crimson blood rested on her white skin, slowly dripping a trail down the bridge of her nose. Cursing, Daryl cupped her face with his hands. "Lilly, wake up. C'mon, Lilly."

He'd said similar words before, waking Lilly up from her night terrors. But this was different, and so much more bothersome. Instead of screaming or crying like she did in her sleep, Lilly was expressionless and silent. As much as Daryl disliked the sound of her crying, he greatly preferred it to this wretched silence.

Patting the side of her face lightly with his hand, it was all Daryl could do to not shake her. His fingers flew down to her throat, checking for a pulse. The subtle pumping of blood could be felt under the pads of his fingers, and Daryl took a deep breath. She was alive.

 _Calm down,_ he told himself. _No need to get all knotted up._ "Lilly," Daryl said softer. "You're fine, Lilly, open your eyes."

To his immense relief, her eyelids started to twitch. "Ow…" Lilly moaned quietly, stirring. Daryl had never been so happy to hear that in his life. Her eyes fluttered open after a moment, dazed and confused, before focusing on Daryl's face. Grimacing in pain, Lilly squeezed her eyes back shut and lifted a hand to her head. "What…"

Daryl grabbed her hand and moved it away from her head before she could touch the laceration. He swallowed, making sure his voice was steady before speaking. "Took quite a fall just now."

"Yeah, I know," Lilly grumbled, wincing. "Ow," she moaned again.

The fact she could remember was a good sign, Daryl thought to himself. "What hurts?"

"Everything."

Daryl huffed. "A little more specific, princess."

Lilly took a moment to register the pains in her body. "Um… definitely my head. My back's not so happy either."

"Sounds like you got off lucky," Daryl thought aloud. Other than massive blow to her head, it seemed she'd managed to come out relatively unharmed. "Might have a concussion."

"Awesome," Lilly breathed grumpily. She reached up to touch her forehead again. This time Daryl didn't stop her. When she pulled her hand away and found crimson on her fingers, Lilly's face somehow managed to go even more pale. "I'm gonna puke."

"Oh calm down," Daryl told her gruffly. "It's just a cut. You're fine." Pulling out the rag that was always in his back pocket, he set to work wiping the blood off her face. Lilly shut her eyes and swallowed thickly, willing the nausea to go away. Her head was throbbing, pulsing, like multiple explosions were happening inside her brain.

Daryl's gentle touch as he wiped blood off her face was soothing, Lilly unconsciously leaning into his hand. Once the blood was gone and just the cut remained, he folded the rag up and pressed it firmly onto the open wound. Grabbing Lilly's hand, he guided her palm up to the rag and pressed it against her head. "Hold that there."

"Yessssssir," Lilly mumbled. Daryl frowned at her dazed expression.

"Definitely a concussion," he decided under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothin'," Daryl told her. "Wiggle your toes." Lilly did as asked, Daryl watching with relief as her feet moved. "You're gonna be sore for a while."

"Did we at least get the squirrel?" Lilly huffed.

"No." Daryl watched Lilly's face grow even more grouchy. He almost laughed. It was so unlike her, pouting and glaring at everything that existed. The only thing that kept him from teasing was the fact she had a concussion and probably wasn't 'all there' at the moment. It didn't help that they had nothing to show for it. They were still hungry and had no idea where they'd find their next meal.

Lilly suddenly started to stir, moving to stand up. Daryl put a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back down. "Where do you think you're goin'?"

"We've gotta find Rick," Lilly told him. "We don't have time to sit around." She tried to get up again, glaring at Daryl when he kept her from doing so. "Excuse you -"

"Just take a breather," Daryl said. "You've got a rough couple days ahead of you."

"Well duh, it's _cold_ ," Lilly snapped, as if that explained everything. "Rick's - the group - they're all still moving, we can't stop -"

"Lilly -"

"They're dying, Daryl!"

"No they're not -"

"We have to find them before it's too late -"

"And we will," Daryl shushed her. Lilly opened her mouth to protest but he cut her off firmly. "We will. But right now we've got other concerns."

"Like what?" Lilly pouted.

Daryl rolled his eyes. "Like you. Just relax, will ya'?"

"A little hard to when we're stuck at the bottom of a ditch and starving to death."

"Quit being dramatic," Daryl chided. Though she had a point. They needed to get back on track before Rick and his group got too far away. More importantly, they needed to make sure that the cold and hunger didn't overwhelm them. "Alright, let's get outta here and find a better place for you to rest."

"I don't want to rest -" Lilly started to whine.

"Shut your trap. Tell me later." Without further ado, Daryl slid his arm under Lilly, wrapping it around her waist and standing, bringing her with him. As soon as Lilly was on her feet, she stumbled and grabbed the collar of Daryl's jacket to stay up.

Head spinning, Lilly struggled to balance, the rag slipping from her forehead as she forgot to hold on to it. She started to tip over. "Whoa, whoa, hey," Daryl tightened his arm around her waist and grasped her hand that was holding the rag, guiding it back to her forehead. Lilly shut her eyes and leaned in to him.

"Ow…" Lilly moaned incoherently.

"I know," Daryl consoled, unconsciously keeping his hand on hers and rubbing it with his thumb. "Just breath."

Lilly took a deep breath, squeezing her eyes tightly. Her head slowly began to make sense again, the spinning and tilting of the world easing. She became aware of Daryl's proximity, the musky smell of leather filling her senses. "You smell nice," she told him blearily, right before she started to tip over again.

Daryl looked down at her, taking her her dazed green eyes. "Right. Let's just focus, okay?" He felt like he was speaking to a child - a very confused child. Squeezing the hand holding a rag to her head, he instructed, "Keep that there." Then he reached down and swung his arm under her knees, lifting her up into his arms with ease. She barely weighed anything - that's what the apocalypse did to people, he supposed.

"What are you doing?" Lilly protested, pushing on his chest.

"We can move faster this way," Daryl told her. "Now quit acting like a baby and just focus on getting better."

Lilly didn't reply after that, ceasing in resisting with a sigh.

Daryl walked along the bottom of the slope with Lilly cradled against his chest, searching for an easier way back up. He found it after a little over five minutes of walking, seeing that it was becoming less steep and leveling back out Eager to get back to Rick and the group's tracks, he trudged up the hill.

It was a little slippery, the jerky movements causing Lilly's head to spin more violently. Daryl did his best to not jostle her around, but there were still moments. As he slipped particularly roughly, Lilly clung on to his jacket and shut her eyes. Nausea twisted around in her stomach and she swallowed. The last thing she wanted was to throw up on her loyal companion who was doing so much to help her right now.

Once they reached the top of the hill, it was easy from there. Daryl quickly traced their steps back to where they'd first seen the squirrel tracks, resuming their path following their group's footprints. He followed for about an hour, the rocking motions of his footsteps eventually lulling Lilly to sleep. Daryl looked down at her peaceful but pale face with approval. _Good_. Heaven knew she needed all the rest she could get.

When his arms finally started to ache from carrying Lilly, Daryl decided to stop for the day. He found a cluster of trees near the group's tracks and carefully laid Lilly against them. She flinched at the cold snow under her, her eyes fluttering open. "Daryl?"

"Sshh, it's alright. Go back to sleep," Daryl told her, a little surprised with the gentleness in his voice. The sound seemed to do the trick, as Lilly's eyes quickly drooped back shut. At some point along their journey, she had stopped holding the rag to her head. Daryl plucked it from her hand and knelt in front of her, leaning in to inspect the laceration. It was gruesome looking, but it had seemed to stop bleeding. The crimson liquid had dried on the cut, coating it in a disturbing dark red scab of sorts. Daryl left it that way, knowing it could heal on its own.

It felt a little strange to set up camp without Lilly's chatter. Daryl kept glancing at her sleeping form, checking to see the rise and fall of her chest. He set to work creating a lean-to over her, grateful that there were so many loose branches about. Then he dug a fire pit and got that started. As the sun started to set, his stomach grumbled.

Daryl frowned, concerned about the lack of food. They hadn't eaten anything all day, and with Lilly in the state that she was and the darkness closing in, he didn't dare try to find something now. They'd have to wait until tomorrow.

Daryl sat outside the lean-to, using the fire to warm his hands. The sound of Lilly's serene breathing was soothing. It reminded him that she was there. The image of her tumbling out of that tree and down the hill was stuck in his mind, the sound of her head cracking against the rock echoing around his skull. Things could have been so much worse. He could have lost her today.

Cursing the stupid squirrel they'd gone through so much trouble for, Daryl shook himself of the thoughts. Fortunately, it _hadn't_ been worse. Lilly had survived with a concussion, and Daryl thanked his lucky stars that that was the end of it.

"Daryl…" Lilly breathed softly, stirring under the lean-to. Daryl watched as her eyes opened in the darkness and she sat up a little, looking around in confusion. Her hand moved up to touch her head and Daryl caught it.

"The cut's scabbed over, best to leave it be," he told her quietly.

Lilly lowered her hand, squinting in the darkness. "How long have I been out?"

"About five hours, give or take," Daryl answered. "I reckon it's probably about midnight."

Lilly became more alert, moving to crawl out of the lean-to. "Oh, gosh, you need to sleep. I can take watch -"

"No," Daryl stopped her. "I've got it."

"But -"

"You're no use to me when your brain's all foggy. Just focus on getting better."

Lilly watched him reluctantly, the orange light from the fire dancing over his face. In that moment, inexpressible gratitude and affection for the man welled up inside of her. Of all the people she could have crossed paths with in the apocalypse, she'd been lucky enough to end up with Daryl. She shook her head in amazement. "You don't have any idea how wonderful you are, do you?"

Daryl chuckled quietly. "Go back to sleep, Lilly. Your concussion's talkin'."

Lilly reached out and grasped his shoulder urgently. "No, I mean it. You are the greatest man I've ever met."

"Thanks. Goodnight."

"Daryl," Lilly squeezed his shoulder, trying to catch his attention. His eyes met hers, and she tried to communicate everything with that look. "I've said it before, but… thank you. I'm so glad I know you."

Daryl took in her expression with a mixture of embarrassment and amusement. _This concussion's sure turned her into a sap_. But he didn't say this out loud. "Glad to know you too." While he said this mostly to humor her, he meant it.

Apparently satisfied, Lilly released her grip on Daryl's shoulder and leaned back, settling against the tree trunk inside the lean-to. With a content sigh, she fell back asleep quickly.

Daryl smiled a little and tore his eyes away from her, watching the dancing flames of the fire in front of him. He stayed that way for the rest of the night, watching over his friend.


	20. Chapter 20

Lilly pulled her eyes open, blinking the world into focus. Snowflakes were falling from the sky softly - the thick, fantastical kind that fluttered about like fairies. It was a calming, beautiful sight. Smiling in relief when her head didn't ache, Lilly stretched and crawled out of the lean-to. All was silent and peaceful, and in spite of the snow around her, she didn't feel cold at all.

With a yawn, she looked around the camp, noticing for the first time that the fire was out, and that she was alone.

"Daryl?" Lilly frowned, slowly spinning around as she looked for him. He was nowhere in sight. "Daryl?" Lilly called again. No reply came, and suddenly the silence was anything but nice. Taking a deep breath, Lilly tried to calm her increasingly rapid heartbeat. _Calm down, he just went to look for food or something_. _He's fine. It's all fine_. Brushing hair out of her face, Lilly directed her gaze to the ground and quickly picked out Daryl's large boot prints.

Biting her lip, she went after them, following his clear tracks in the snow quickly before the snowflakes could cover them. She followed until the camp was out of sight, peering around and listening intently for any sign that her friend was close. "Daryl?"

Unnerved by the lack of response, Lilly fought to keep herself calm. _You're freaking out over nothing,_ she told herself. She could already picture it - finding him walking back to camp with a rabbit in hand, making fun of her for being a worry-wart and making mountains out of molehills. Swallowing back her anxiety, Lilly continued to follow the footprints, speeding up as the falling snowflakes started to blur them.

It felt like she was chasing after him forever, calling his name softly so as not to raise unwanted attention. The longer time went by with Daryl nowhere in sight, the more Lilly's pulse started to race. Just as she was contemplating heading back to the camp before she got lost, hoping that

Daryl would find his way back, Lilly saw something that made her heart leap into her throat.

Blood. It stained the white snow, drops of it dotting Daryl's tracks. The crimson burned Lilly's sight, painfully bright and obvious on the innocently white ground.

Slowly, as if in a trance, Lilly followed this new scarlet trail, no longer bothering to make herself calm down. With every step, the blood seemed to increase until dangerous amounts of it stained the snow. Panic reared its head, Lilly losing all sense of caution. " _Daryl!_ "

She picked up her pace, stumbling through the snow in her haste to find him. Practically sprinting, Lilly skidded around trees, all but screaming his name as she desperately tried to reach him. What had happened? How long ago? Was he alright? Was he even alive? There was so much blood, it wasn't possible that Daryl could wander much farther. She had to find him soon.

Lilly ran for what felt like an eternity, though it was only a couple minutes. The sickening trail of crimson blood was the last thing she wanted to look at, but it was her only way to find Daryl. She felt ill.

Almost blind with panic, Lilly skidded to a sudden halt. Several feet away, surrounded with blood, Daryl lay face down in the snow. "Daryl!" Lilly breathed, racing to him and dropping to her knees on the bloodstained ground. He was motionless, and as Lilly let a shaky hand rest on his back, she felt nothing but cold. Biting back the absolute hysteria threatening to overwhelm her, Lilly grasped Daryl's shoulder and rolled him onto his back. A scream caught in her lungs.

Pale, blue eyes stared up at her lifelessly. Their beautiful light was gone, making them look glassy and dull. Daryl's skin was drained of color, his lips dark and blue, his mouth slightly open. Numerous wounds laced his front, blood seeping through his shirt and jacket, sticking to his skin. It was like some animal had dug its claws into his skin repeatedly. Lilly grasped a cold, stiff hand, eyes wide with disbelief. Daryl Dixon was dead.

"Took you long enough."

Lilly whirled around at the nasally voice, going numb with shock as she saw Orren standing behind her, a bloody knife grasped in his hand. He smiled down at her, licking his lips like a snake, his eyes dark and cold and empty. "Redneck bled out, calling your name like a lovesick puppy - thought you might get here in time to say goodbye but…" He shrugged, pulling at his lip. "Oops."

Lilly gaped at him in absolute horror. He'd found them. He'd found them and murdered Daryl. She prayed that he'd murder her too, and quickly, but as his eyes slid down from her face, she had the distinct feeling that that might not be the case. As Orren came closer, kneeling down in front of her, Lilly knew that she should run. But Daryl's cold hand remained clasped in hers, his body lying next to her and she felt no will to leave him.

As a dry sob heaved its way out of Lilly's chest, Orren pouted his lip in mock sympathy. "There, there, sweetheart, no need to despair. I'll make you forget." His hand slithered over her face, caressing her cheek. Lilly flinched with a whimper, jerking her head away but he grabbed her jaw roughly and forced her to look at him. "You took something from me," he hissed, brushing the stubs that were once fingers across her skin. "I'm just collecting what I deserve."

With that, he fisted a hand in her hair and yanked her away from Daryl's body. Lilly was dragged across the snow, finally allowing herself to scream. She watched as Daryl's body grew more distant, her screams growing louder and more wretched as she saw him twitch. Before her eyes, Daryl was transforming into another monster, his mouth stretching open with a listless moan and his glazed eyes flickering towards her.

Lilly was thrown into a tree, Orren coming in front of her and pinning her wrists above her head. She struggled and yelped as his hand roved over her body. Over Orren's shoulder, she could see Daryl standing up, stumbling towards them, hissing and groaning with senseless hunger. A walker.

" _Lilly_!"

Her eyes shot open and she woke with a deep gasp. She was back at camp, curled up in the lean-to. In front of her knelt Daryl, grasping her shoulders and watching her with concern. His blue eyes were bright, his skin a healthy color, his touch warm, very much alive. Behind him, there were no snowflakes falling to the ground. Just silence.

With a small whimper, Lilly launched herself forward and threw her arms around Daryl's neck.

Daryl fell back a little, surprised at the attack. He could feel Lilly's heart pounding against his chest, her arms squeezing him tightly, her breathing rapid and choked. Her entire body was trembling violently. Slowly letting his arms fold around her, Daryl decided to let her have a moment. "Must've been a bad one," he muttered.

"The worst," Lilly agreed shakily, squeezing her eyes shut and breathing in the smell of Daryl's leather jacket. _He's alive_ , she assured herself, feeling his solid presence against her. His arms wrapped around her back acted as shield from the echo of Orren's hands on her. _It was just a dream. Everything's fine._

She buried her face in the crook of his neck, taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart. Her fists clutched the back of his vest, gripping onto him as if her life depended on it. Daryl shut his eyes, clenching his jaw when he could feel her continuous shivering. Whatever it was that Lilly had dreamed this time, it had definitely affected her.

"I'm guessing you remember this one?" Daryl asked, remembering how she usually woke up without the faintest idea of what she'd even been dreaming.

"Yeah," Lilly whispered.

Daryl waited for her to elaborate, but she stayed silent. This frustrated him. How was he supposed to help if he didn't know what was scaring her? While Daryl realized that anyone else would have let Lilly linger in silence, and probably for a good reason, curiosity got the better of him. Besides, he'd always been blunt. No need to stop now. "What was it?"

Lilly tensed in his arms, slowly pulling away so that they were both kneeling on the ground, face to face. "Um…" She wasn't sure she wanted to say. But Daryl was giving her one of those looks that told her it would be best to just tell him. "There was blood… in the snow." Her voice trembled. "Orren was there."

"Orren?"

"One of Cain's men," Lilly explained. She remembered her terrifying introduction to him back at the cabin. "Apparently I cut off two of his fingers and he wasn't very happy about it."

Daryl stiffened, but kept listening. "What'd he do?"

Lilly opened her mouth, but the words were stuck on her tongue. Swallowing, she tried again, getting the words out in a whisper. "He killed you." Her eyes welled up, and she wiped at them with her hands furiously. There had been enough crying for the past few days. But as Lilly continued to speak, the tears came anyway. "He killed you and then he was going to - his hands were everywhere - and I tried to fight but - but you were a walker and I couldn't - couldn't - I can't…"

"None of it was real," Daryl tried to assure her. "Orren is miles away. I am very much alive and so long as I'm around, nobody's gonna lay a finger on you. Understand?"

Lilly looked up at him with wet green eyes, biting her lip. Instead of responding, she merely leaned in and hugged him again. Daryl sat there for a moment, wondering how many more times she'd have to do that before he figured out what it was, finally awkwardly letting his arms rest around her. As Lilly's shivering started to subside, he unconsciously rubbed her back.

"We're gonna be fine," he told her quietly, his hand circling over her shoulder blades. "We're gonna find Rick and the group, find another place to stay. Whatever happens, we'll work it out - just like we always do."

Lilly nodded, smiling into his neck. "I know."

Daryl held her like that for a few more minutes, letting Lilly do what she needed to compose herself. Lilly wasn't normally such a touchy person, but she'd honestly never felt more connected to a human being in her life. It had been a rough start, but her and Daryl's friendship was quickly developing into something meaningful.

For the first time in a while, Lilly remembered what Carl had observed. " _You must like him… I mean_ really _like him."_ Feeling her face blush, she ducked her head deeper into the crook of Daryl's neck, taking a deep breath. _Not the time to be thinking about this, Lilly_ , she scolded.

But Lilly wasn't the only one with such thoughts going through her head. While Daryl was a little more uncomfortable and awkward, even he could feel the growing bond with Lilly. It was unexplainable. The mousy girl, in spite of her weaknesses and fears and occasionally pitiful obliviousness, had managed to reserve a small part of his heart easily. It was as if she belonged there, like she was a puzzle piece that perfectly fit into his dysfunctional life. As Daryl was left pondering this, Lilly pulled away.

"Okay, I think I'm awake now," Lilly smiled shyly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ears.

Daryl was looking at her oddly, finally responding with a grunt and standing up. Lilly ducked her head in embarrassment, assuming that her reaction to the nightmare must have made her act ridiculous. Brushing snow off of her pants, she stood. The moment she did so her head spun and Lilly was instantly reminded of the raging concussion she'd been cursed with. With quiet groan, she shut her eyes and leaned against the tree next to her.

"How's your head?" Daryl asked absently.

"How do you think?" Lilly grimaced.

With a small chuckle, Daryl set to work putting out the fire. He found grumpy Lilly very amusing and rare. "Eat some snow, keep hydrated."

Lilly took his suggestion and carefully bent down to grab some snow from the ground. Her head was throbbing. At least she was making a little more sense today - any memory of yesterday was vague and blurry.

Once Daryl had finished with the fire, he looked back up at Lilly. "You good to walk today?"

"Yeah," Lilly replied immediately. She was anxious to get moving, disappointed that they had lost so much time yesterday. Rick and the group were getting farther and farther away. They couldn't afford anymore delays.

"Good." Daryl shrugged his jacket closer and eyed the forest around them. "First thing's first - food."

Lilly's stomach rumbled in agreement. Despite the fact her head felt ready to explode, protesting any movement she made, her hunger won out.

They abandoned their camp and got back on the group's trail. Every step Lilly took was nauseating. Her stomach was a whiny mess between the concussion and the fact she hadn't eaten in over twenty-four hours. Hammers were swinging in her skull, the bright white snow everywhere hurt to look at, and her back was aching terribly from the fall, but she refused to say a word about it. Daryl had already had to do enough for her, she wasn't about to make him feel like he had to do more.

Lilly did her best to hide her symptoms, but Daryl could see clearly that she was not feeling well. He also knew that she was trying to hide it. So, unbeknownst to Lilly, Daryl kept a careful watch on her, always ready to come to her aid if she started showing signs of needing it. He kept her in his sight silently, making sure that she didn't notice.

Much to their joy, it wasn't long before they found a pair of tracks. Daryl knelt down to inspect them, Lilly coming to peer over his shoulder. She furrowed her brows, not recognizing them. "What is it?"

Daryl stood up. "Possum. Haven't seen one of those in a while."

"Is it close?"

Daryl squinted around at the forest for a moment before his face brightened considerably. "Sure is." He pointed.

Lilly followed his gaze to a cluster of bushes several feet away. She narrowed her eyes, scanning the area intently. The possum's tracks led right to the spot, and after a moment, Lilly noticed a little tail. A grin bloomed onto her face.

Daryl quickly looked around for something to kill it with. His eyes fell on a thin branch hanging loosely off a tree. While Lilly kept an eye on the possum, he snapped it off. The branch snapped in a way that gave it a pointed end, and Daryl's hope increased. With gleaming eyes, he exchanged a look with Lilly. No words were needed, she understood.

As they had done before, Lilly silently snuck around the perimeter of the area while Daryl stood waiting with the pointed tree branch. She expertly crept to the opposite side of the group of bushes. For a moment, the pain throbbing in her head was forgotten, her fingers twitching eagerly. She looked up at Daryl with sparkling green eyes. Daryl felt his chest tighten for some reason, but the stakes were too high at the moment for him to think much of it. Giving her a nod, Daryl gripped the branch in his hands.

Lilly leapt at the bushes with a yell. As hoped, the possum came scurrying out of the foliage. It didn't have time to process what was happening, to even start to change its course as Daryl advanced. It wasn't as fast as the rabbit had been, meaning it was much easier to pin it down. Daryl's branch came down on the base of the possum's neck. The pointed end stabbed through its flesh, bringing the creature to an instant death.

Lilly leapt around the bushes with a victorious laugh, a small smile grew on Daryl's face. "Can we cook it now?" Lilly begged.

Daryl gave her a look as if to say 'duh'. "I dunno, I was thinkin' we could starve for a few more hours."

Lilly tried to give him a mock-glare, but couldn't stop smiling. "Not even funny."

With a snort, Daryl lifted up his tree branch, the possum dangling on the end. Lilly was struck with how the sight didn't bother her in the slightest. A few weeks ago, she would have been horrified to see it. Now, all she could think was of how hungry she was and how excited she was to eat. As Daryl set to work making a fire, Lilly slid the possum off the branch and held it up by its tail. Swinging it a little and wrinkling her nose at the way its mouth lolled open, she went and knelt in the snow next to Daryl.

Trying to copy what she had seen with the rabbit, Lilly took the possum by a back leg and tried to rip the skin with her fingers. She dug her fingernails in, doing her best to tear at it. Try as she might, all she could do was pull some fur out.

Daryl looked over, chuckling in amusement. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Trying - to skin it," Lilly huffed.

Daryl reached over. "Let me."

"No I've got it," Lilly held the possum away from his hands, giving him a stern glare. She resumed her work, tugging at the animal's skin stubbornly. Trying and failing.

Daryl watched for a few more minutes as Lilly struggled to skin the possum. He took in the way her nose wrinkled, how she bit her lip, the indignant look in her green eyes. She was certainly an odd creature, he decided. One moment doubting everything and anything about herself, the next insisting on being independent. Daryl imagined she must give herself whiplash, her emotions flying all over the spectrum at all times.

When it became clear that Lilly had no idea what she was doing, Daryl reached over and snatched the possum from her grasp. Lilly's mouth opened in protest. "Hey -"

"You're taking forever and I'm starving." As he easily dug his practiced fingers into the possum's skin, Lilly glared at him. To offer her solace, Daryl jerked his head at the fire pit he'd started digging. "Get the fire started."

Eager to feel useful, Lilly hopped up and hunted the area for twigs and sticks, trying to find the driest she could. Ten minutes later, she returned with an armful and got to work building the teepee like structure she'd seen everyone else do. By then, The possum had been skinned as was in the process of being gutted. Daryl wiped a bloody hand on his pants and reached into his pocket, pulling out the lighter for Lilly to use. She took it gratefully.

It took some time and frustrated sighs from Lilly, but she eventually managed to get a small flame going. Daryl helped it grow, and then stuck the possum on a stick and started cooking. They both eyed its tender meat hungrily. Lilly was practically ready to eat the thing raw.

When it was finally done, Daryl ripped it in half and handed on side to Lilly. She took it eagerly, sinking her teeth in without hesitation. Daryl did likewise. They ate in happy silence.

The meal was over too soon. With satisfied hunger, the pair got up and kicked snow over their small fire to put it out. Leaving what remained of the possum behind (inedible things like the fur), they started moving again.

As Lilly moved to follow Daryl back on to the group's tracks, she caught sight of the possum's blood in the snow. It stained the white ground in tiny scarlet drops. The memory of her nightmare flashed through Lilly's head. She suddenly could see Daryl lying in the red, his blue eyes lifeless. She could feel Orren breathing on her neck as he prepared to do unspeakable things.

"Lilly?"

Daryl had paused and turned to see her standing there in a trance. She jumped at the sound of his voice, tearing her eyes away from the small blood stain. "Hm?"

Daryl's eyes were calculating as he looked over her. "How's your head?"

In truth, Lilly's head was in extreme pain, but she bit her lip and shrugged. "It's fine."

Daryl continued to watch her, as if he knew she was having a hard time. Lilly swallowed, pinned under his knowing gaze. Before he could get her to say more, she ran a hand through her tangled hair and stepped around him. "We need to keep moving. The group's only getting farther away." She walked ahead of him, with Daryl following, both lost in their thoughts.

Trudging through the snow was tedious as ever, but the possum meal had made it a little more bearable. As the day went on, clouds continued to coat the sky. They grew thicker and darker, heavily draping the air over Lilly and Daryl's heads. Both cast wary glances upwards. The wind was slowly growing stronger, the air icier.

Shivering and trying to warm her hands under Daryl's horse blanket that she was still wearing, Lilly looked over at him. "What happens if it snows again?"

Daryl kept his eyes ahead, not pausing as they walked. "What d'you mean?"

"I mean… What happens to the tracks?" Lilly asked. "They'll be lost, won't they?"

Daryl clenched his jaw, unwilling to answer. Yes, if it snowed, they would be in huge trouble. Stuck in the middle of the forest with no hope of ever finding Rick and the rest of the group again. Not to mention if the temperature dropped any more there would be some serious health concerns. Something had to give, and Daryl was worried.

But he didn't want to stress Lilly out anymore. He didn't want to stress _himself_ out anymore either. So with determined blue eyes, Daryl subtly picked up their walking pace. "We'll find 'em," was all he said.

As the sun started to set, Daryl and Lilly paused. They stared down at the group's tracks in the snow with confusion. There was a cluster of footprints, as if they'd stopped to talk about something. Then the tracks veered off to the left.

"What are they doing?" Lilly wondered aloud.

Daryl narrowed his eyes. "Looks like they changed course… for the road maybe."

"But that's miles away."

Daryl shrugged. "Probably didn't wanna get lost in the forest."

"They want to stay near the road…" Lilly nodded in understanding. But she still frowned. "Even with Cain's men around?"

"They must've decided they'd gotten far away enough," Daryl guessed.

Both felt weird about it, but it didn't change that they wanted to find the group. So they started walking again, following the tracks in a new direction.

When it grew dark, they both settled down for another long night of attempted sleep. The usual lean-to and fire was set up. As Daryl finished nursing the small flames into a source of warmth, Lilly came and sat down next to him. In the corner of his eye, he caught her wince a little as she moved.

"What's hurting?"

Lilly sighed, trying to massage the back of her neck. "I think that fall did something to my back. It's been sore all day."

Daryl frowned. He watched as she struggled to get comfortable, bending her head over as her hands tried to work out the aching in her shoulders.

Lilly suddenly felt hands move her own aside. "What are you -"

"Just sit still."

She did as asked, a little confused and surprised when she realized that Daryl was running his hands up and down her back. His thumbs pressed into the tense muscle. Instant relief came to Lilly as he rubbed away some of the soreness. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it," Daryl replied awkwardly. As soon as Lilly seemed to visibly relax, he pulled his hands away. Lilly's back tingled from where they had been. "Go to sleep, I'll take watch," he told her.

Lilly turned around with a frown. "You didn't sleep at all last night. It's my turn."

"You've got a concussion."

"It's just a headache now," Lilly protested. "I'm fine. Promise. You need to rest."

He thought about arguing further, but the look in her eyes told him she was going to be stubborn about it. His eyelids were getting heavy, the warmth of the fire was lulling him to sleep, and Daryl knew she was right. "Fine."

Daryl slid into the lean-to, lying against the tree trunk. A moment later, Lilly ducked down next to him and settled against his side. He didn't say anything, the warmth of her body and her quiet presence now comfortable to him. Shutting his eyes, Daryl let his head rest against the tree trunk. "'Night, Lilly."

Lilly smiled to herself softly. "Goodnight, Daryl."

She looked over at him, taking in the way the orange light from the fire danced across his features. Over all, she felt rather lucky. Of course, there had been some major trials with Cain invading the cabin and the fact they were all stuck in the middle of the forest now, but at least her and Daryl were together. There wasn't anyone else she'd rather be with in this situation. Plus her head was feeling a little less sore, and her stomach wasn't shriveling up with hunger for the moment.

All things considered, it'd been a good day.


	21. Chapter 21

**I'm baaack.**

 **So sorry for vanishing off the face of the earth there. Anxiety/depression is the BEST. I hope I'll be able to get back into rhythm of things soon - sorry if the writing is a bit rough. Not sure how often I'll update, but I'd like to get this story headed to the end soon and have plenty of time to do it. Thanks for your continuous support!**

It was a rough night.

As Lilly sat against Daryl's side while he slept, the temperature started to drop. The wind increased. The sky was completely black, absent of any light from the moon or the stars. Darkness enveloped everything, the tiny fire in front of Lilly barely able to fight it off. Lilly could barely see the surrounding trees. The snow that was usually illuminated at night was dim. She felt claustrophobic with her and Daryl wrapped so tightly in the darkness.

The wind grew icier and icier, to the point that it burned her nose and cheeks. Lilly shivered and snuggled closer to Daryl. She lifted his poncho that she was wearing over her nose to protect her face from the cold. As the hours drew on, it continued to get colder. Every time Lilly thought it couldn't get much worse, it somehow did. Next to her, even Daryl shivered a little in his sleep. Lilly knotted her brows worriedly and wrapped her arms around his, trying to give him what body heat she could.

It got to the point that the wind was moaning softly as it brushed through the trees. Lilly shuddered at the sound. The small flames flinched weakly at the wind. Lilly stared at it nervously. Any stronger, and the fire would never survive.

 _Come on_ , she begged it silently. The orange flame bent over as the wind crushed it. _Please don't go out._

With a puff of wind, the fire was gone. Lilly was drowned in darkness as she stared at the bleak spot where the fire had once been. With a sigh, Lilly pulled her face from the horse blanket and left Daryl's side. Carefully reaching in his pocket, she found the lighter. Lilly crawled out of the lean-to and knelt down by the empty fire pit, holding the lighter in her frozen hands and trying to spark it to life. A small drop of flame would appear briefly, but the wind would quickly blow it out. Lilly bit her frozen lips and repeatedly tried to get the fire back, but to no avail. She felt like she'd spent hours flicking the lighter on over and over, though it was only twenty minutes.

"Fire go out?"

Lilly jumped at the sound of Daryl's voice, hoarse from exhaustion. He had settled down at her side. Lilly didn't need to answer, Daryl's hands already prying the lighter from her fingers and trying to light it himself. Lilly watched anxiously, hopeful that Daryl would be more capable than her, but he didn't have any luck either. Heart sinking, Lilly sat back dejectedly and hugged herself, trying to stay warm.

Daryl sat back too with a sigh. "Looks like no fire tonight." He turned and ducked back into the lean-to, Lilly following.

As they settled back in their spots, Lilly spoke. "At least it isn't snowing."

Right as she finished saying that, she felt something cold land on her nose. Apparently Daryl felt something too because he snorted in half-hearted amusement. "You jinxed us."

As more snowflakes brushed over her skin, Lilly shut her eyes in awful disbelief. "This is not happening." She shivered more, unable to control the spasms of her muscles trying to keep warm.

Daryl shifted next to her. "It's my turn to watch. You go to sleep."

Lilly leaned her head on his shoulder, her teeth chattering. She couldn't relax, her body tense as she fought to retain what warmth she had. Daryl wasn't sure what he could do to help - neither of them had much body heat. They were both living icicles, and the wind wasn't helping. After a moment of hesitation, his arm went over her head and around her shoulders. Lilly accepted the movement immediately, snuggling into him. It didn't do much, but at least there was something shielding her a little from the wind and their closeness provided a little more warmth.

Breathing in the smell of his leather jacket, Lilly let her head rest in the crook of Daryl's neck and drifted off. Daryl held her close as worries chased through his head. That snow was going to make it much harder - if not impossible - to follow the group's tracks. More worrisome to him was the fact that him and Lilly were stuck outside with very little to stay warm. They needed to find better shelter soon. Without it, they were both going to literally freeze to death.

He felt Lilly tremble against him and held her a little tighter, rubbing his hand up and down her arm. She was freezing. If they didn't find something to help them soon, he wasn't sure how much longer she was going to last.

The hours went by, each gust of wind growing more and more painful to endure. Daryl couldn't stop the violent shivering that spasmed in his muscles, and Lilly was trembling similarly against him. Their body heat was barely existent, their clothes and skin icy. Daryl leaned his head back against the tree trunk as he swallowed back a wave of despair. This night was never going to end. It felt as if they'd be plunged in darkness and cold forever.

The sky somehow managed to grow darker, and if it hadn't been for the white snow around them, Daryl would have felt blind. His thoughts were beginning to race as the worries built up with no sign of solutions. It was just too _cold_. Frigid snowflakes landed on his skin mockingly. He knew with sick feeling that by the time day came, the group's tracks would be all but vanished. With the way the weather was going, he wouldn't be surprised if a full on blizzard started eventually. And that would scare away the animals. They were in the middle of the forest with no group, no food, and no warmth. In conclusion, all courses were steering Daryl and Lilly towards certain doom.

Eventually, Lilly's shivering transitioned into twitching. Daryl frowned down at the small body pressed against him, barely making out the flicker of her eyelids as she stirred in her sleep. A sad whimper slipped from Lilly's lips and she jerked a little. _Night terror_ , Daryl realized grimly.

Squeezing her shoulders with the arm draped around her, he gave her a small shake. "Just a dream, Lil, you're fine."

Lilly let out another cry and buried her face into his chest. With a sigh, Daryl gave her another shake and leaned down to talk into her hair. "You're safe, now, I'm right here."

His low, gravelly voice seemed to do the trick as Lilly slowly shuddered awake. "Daryl," she mumbled.

"Just a dream, go back to sleep," Daryl consoled softly.

Lilly exhaled loudly and somehow managed to snuggle even closer to him. "It's so cold." Her voice was as fragile as glass.

"I know. We'll figure it out in the morning." Daryl let his hand rub up and down her arm as he tried to coax her back to sleep. Lilly's eyes drooped and she slowly descended into an uncomfortable slumber. Her hands were now clutching at the edge of his jacket as she shivered uncontrollably.

Hours continued to go by at a snail-like pace. Each becoming more and more miserable, even when Daryl thought it couldn't get worse. As he'd feared, a blizzard was starting to roar in, and the temperature plunged at a frightening rate.

Daryl blinked at the darkness with a sick feeling. His teeth chattered tirelessly and he could faintly hear Lilly's doing the same. His body ached with the cold, and he suddenly realized how stiff he was. If he tried to release his grip on Lilly now, Daryl wasn't sure he'd be able to. The two of them could have been statues if it wasn't for their incessant shivering. Heart sinking, Daryl was quickly recognizing that the situation was more severe than he'd wanted to believe. This night could kill them.

Some sacrifices would have to be made.

Daryl was a little more adjusted to the elements than Lilly. He was used to being outdoors in tough scenarios. As thin and weak as she was, Lilly was far more vulnerable than him, he decided. Which meant she needed more help.

It was a hard judgment to make, but Daryl knew what he needed to do to increase their chances of survival - even if it was a just a little bit. At this point, the hunter was willing to do whatever was needed to make sure that if someone was going to die, it wouldn't be Lilly.

…..

"Lilly, don't go back to sleep."

 _Lilly was thrown into a tree, Orren coming in front of her and pinning her wrists above her head. She struggled and yelped as his hand roved over her body. Over Orren's shoulder, she could see Daryl standing up, stumbling towards them, hissing and groaning with senseless hunger. A walker._

" _It's just a dream," Lilly whispered to herself._

" _Shut up," Orren ordered her absently, keeping her wrists pinned while his other hand slowly found the hem of her shirt._

" _I'm gonna wake up now."_

"Open your eyes. C'mon, Lil, I know you can hear me!"

 _Lilly bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to ignore the fact that Orren's fingers were tracing up the skin on her waist. The snarls and hisses of the walker that had once been Daryl continued to draw nearer. "C'mon, Lilly, wake up." Why wasn't she waking up?_

" _There's nothing to wake up to," Orren chuckled quietly as he brought his mouth to her jaw._

"Stay with me, Lilly!"

 _Lilly squirmed, jerking her face away. "Daryl!" she found herself shouting. She knew this was a dream, she knew that she should be awake. Something was wrong. "Daryl!"_

 _Walker-Daryl's mouth hung open limply as his glazed eyes focused in on her. There was no spark of recognition, no sign that her Daryl was present in the cold corpse. Just an undead creature in search of food._

" _Daryl's gone, sweetie," Orren cooed in Lilly's ear. "Just you and me." His mouth came crashing into hers and Lilly jerked her head back with a scream._

"Please, Lilly!"

 _Something was very off. She definitely should have been woken up by now. Daryl - the real Daryl - would have shaken her out of this nightmare already. Was she not screaming enough? Why was she still stuck in this horrific world of the subconscious?_

 _A new fury surged in Lilly and she snarled, raising her feet to kick Orren hard between the legs. He let out a shout of pain and released her, giving her the time she needed to attack him again. With a shriek, she launched herself at him and managed to shove him a few steps backwards. Orren stumbled with bared teeth, his cold eyes fixated on her. His entire being tensed in preparation to unleash hell on Lilly, but it went just as she planned._

 _Orren had forgotten the newly turned walker just inches behind him._

 _Before he had time to realize his mistake, Daryl's reanimated corpse had sunk his teeth into the base of Orren's neck. Lilly simply watched as Orren let out a piercing wail of pain, blood spraying from severed arteries and staining the snow in front of her. There wasn't much Orren could do to fight back as the walker ripped a out a chunk of his throat. They both sunk to the snowy ground. As his life flowed from the gaping hole in his neck, Orren's screams quickly grew faint and what attempts he did make to escape were feeble. The walker swallowed the chunk of flesh in its mouth and promptly descended to take another bite out of Orren's jugular._

 _Lilly watched on numbly, clenching her fits and gritting her teeth as she waited._ Time to wake up. Please wake up.

 _Nothing was happening. The walker was mindlessly chewing away at Orren's dying body, blood was spraying, Lilly was free, and there was no indication that this dream was going to end._ Maybe I'm not screaming, _Lilly surmised._ Daryl must have not woken me up because I haven't been screaming.

 _Taking in a breath of air, she opened her mouth and allowed the shrill sound to blast from her lungs. "Daryl!" she shouted at the air. "Wake me up! Daryl!" In any other situation, she would have felt insane, but this was the dream world - where nothing and everything made sense._

" _Please, Daryl!" Lilly continued to scream. Nearby, the walker had practically severed Orren's head from his body as it devoured what was left of his throat. By the time it looked up with Daryl's lifeless blue eyes, Orren's head was only attached by the spinal cord and a few stringy ligaments of flesh._

 _Lilly eyed the walker nervously as it stumbled to its feet, its hungry gaze now fixed on her. "Daryl!" she continued to yell, but the sound was growing more withdrawn. What if she never woke up? What if she was trapped in this coma-like state forever, surrounded by bloodstained snow?_

 _The walker stumbled towards her. Lilly stood still, hating how she was forced to watch what was once Daryl move jerkily, blood dribbling down his chin and bits of flesh hanging from his blue lips. She searched its dull eyes pleadingly. "Please wake me up. Please, Daryl."_

 _With a small whimper, Lilly moved to step away from her undead friend._

 _Her foot didn't budge._

 _Pounding heart skipping a beat, Lilly tried to move again and found that she couldn't. It was as if her feet had been cemented to the ground. Struggling to do something - anything, Lilly let out a an exasperated cry as she stood helplessly like fish bait. This is why she needed to wake up. She didn't know how much longer she could bare this nightmare world._

 _Walker-Daryl was a mere foot or two away now, his cold hands reaching for Lilly. She looked up at his face with wide eyes, unable to tear her gaze away from the awful sight. "Daryl," she pleaded softly. She wasn't sure what Daryl she was talking to - the one in the real world, this walker version, maybe even the one that she prayed resided somewhere in this reanimated corpse. "I've gotta wake up. You have to let me wake up now."_

 _Daryl's undead corpse finally wrapped its fingers around Lilly's arms. Lilly shoved at his chest, trying to keep him back, but even this dead version of Daryl was too strong. With a snarl, his gaping mouth made a beeline for Lilly's neck - just as it had with Orren's. Lilly shouted in alarm and continued to try and bat him off of her, pounding at his face and chest for all she was worth. It was to no avail. Daryl's teeth ripped into Lilly's neck and she let out a shriek. She was tackled onto her back and could do nothing but scream and watch as her own blood sprayed into her vision. The sickly slurpy sound of her flesh being dismantled surrounded her. Daryl's body was crouched over hers as it fed, oblivious to Lilly's cries._

 _It was one thing to be eaten alive. The concept in and of itself was harrowing enough. But to be eaten by a thing that had once been your best friend? A friend who had done everything in their power to keep you safe? It was positively hideous._

 _Lilly felt her vocal chords rip as Daryl's teeth dug into her throat. Her screams were cut off and the only sound she could make was a gurgle as she choked on her blood. The sounds of the walker feeding on her began to grow muffled. Her eyesight grew hazy. She stared up at the cloudy sky above her, blinking slowly, suddenly wondering if she was wrong - if this wasn't a dream after all._

 _Or if it was, what if she was dying for real?_

 _Black started to cloud her vision and Lilly's thoughts recentered on the thing she'd been trying to do this whole time._ I have to wake up.

 _Whatever was happening in the real world, Daryl wasn't there to help her. She had to regain consciousness and find out what was wrong. It took tremendous effort to fight back the black spots trying to blind her, to keep her eyes open. She could feel herself sinking. All sound was gone, replaced by a high pitched buzzing. The walker was no longer crouched over her either. She was alone, surrounded by nothing but red snow._

 _For a moment, the blackness washed over Lilly and it was all she could do to not succumb to its embrace._

Daryl.

 _That name was the only thing that stopped her from surrendering. Lilly managed to see the sky again for a brief moment before the blackness reemerged with a vengeance, dragging her under._

 _For a moment, Lilly thought it had succeeded._

Daryl.

 _That was when she surfaced._

Daryl.

With all the mental strength she had, Lilly forced her way out of the depths of unconsciousness and pulled her eyelids open. She almost expected them to creak like a rusty door as they were forced to unseal. Lilly sluggishly scanned her surroundings, feeling like she was trying to peer through mud. Each detail had to be taken in and examined slowly.

The snow was white.

Snowflakes dusted the air thickly.

There was wind.

The lean-to was partly knocked over.

She wasn't shivering anymore.

Come to think of it, she could barely feel a thing.

Daryl's jacket laid at her feet, as if the wind had tried to steal it.

Daryl was on his side next to it.

Daryl wasn't moving.

"Daryl." The name barely made it out of Lilly's mouth, nothing but a small breath of air through cracked lips. She wanted to launch herself at him, but could barely move her fingers. How long had they been out? It felt like someone had encased her in an ice sculpture.

The image of Daryl crumpled in the snow was enough to motivate her to break out of the frigid cocoon. With great effort, Lilly forced her stiff body to uncurl itself from its place in the ruined lean-to and started to crawl towards him. Each movement was sloth-like and slightly muddled, but Lilly could feel herself growing more mobile as she got the blood running through her veins again.

Her numb hand fell on Daryl's shoulder and she slowly managed to turn him onto his back. His eyes were closed, his lips pale. Lilly's heart stopped as she realized he might be dead.

Knowing her fingers were too numb to feel for a pulse, Lilly lowered her head onto Daryl's chest and listened with frightening stillness. Relief tingled through her nerves as she heard the beautiful rhythm of his heart beating. He was still alive… For now.

Sitting back up, Lilly let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. Snowflakes bit at her skin. Her eyes followed them as they fell onto Daryl's face, lightly dusting his brows and eyelashes. Lilly brushed them off carefully with one hand and lightly tapped the side of his face with the other.

"Daryl, wake up."

Of course, he didn't respond remotely to her tentative, feather-like touch. Swallowing, Lilly's tapping turned into something close to smacking. "Wake up!"

When he remained motionless, Lilly's hands moved to grasp the front of his vest and her stiff fingers fisted around the material. She shook him as hard as she dared. "Daryl! Daryl!"

His head jostled a little at the motion like one of those CPR training manikins. The sight made Lilly's chest tighten. This was just wrong. Daryl should never be in this state - about to fall off the deep end without the chance to fight back. She didn't think it was possible for the hunter to be in such a helpless, vulnerable predicament. It wasn't right.

With a frustrated yell, Lilly hit Daryl's chest with fisted hands. She didn't care if it gave him bruises, as long as he was alive. Face contorted into an angry growl of sorts, Lilly hit him again. And again. " _Daryl!_ " With each word, her fists came down on his chest. "Wake. Up. You. Stupid. _Hick_!"

As she raised her arms to hit him yet again, a low moan stopped her.

For a moment, she thought she'd imagined it, but another moan sounded and Daryl's eyelids began to twitch. Heart skipping excitedly, Lilly leaned down towards him and started tapping at his face with her fingers like she had before. "Daryl? Daryl, can you hear me?"

An indecipherable grumble that was probably supposed to be an answer made its way through Daryl's frozen lips. His eyes slowly opened, their gaze foggy and disoriented. Lilly unconsciously stroked the side of Daryl's face with her thumb as she brought her face close to peer at him. "That's it, come on back," she encouraged softly.

Daryl's blue eyes finally locked on hers, taking her pale face in through snowflake frosted lashes. "Lil…" he managed to mumble slowly.

"Just stay awake, okay?" Lilly told him firmly. They'd had a close call, and they were nowhere near out of the woods yet.

"Where…?" Daryl squinted, his senses taking their sweet time to return to him.

Lilly ran a hand through her snow encrusted hair as she sat up a little. "Still stuck in the forest, I think we're in a bit of a blizzard right now -" she stopped as she noticed his bare arms. For the first time, the strangeness of it clicked. "Why aren't you wearing your jacket?"

Daryl blinked slowly, and for a moment Lilly was worried that he was going back under. But after a moment, he managed to respond, "Had to... Keep you warm... "

The answer sent a mixture of affection and frustration through Lilly. She chose to focus on the latter, sighing in exasperation. "Daryl, you can't just - you - you need it!" Without giving him time to defend himself, Lilly's eyes quickly landed on the jacket that had been at her feet and snatched it up. "Put it back on, you… you…" she didn't have an adequate name to throw at him and left the sentence unfinished, growling quietly to herself.

Seeing that it was taking awhile for Daryl to find the ability to move, Lilly wrapped an arm around him and heaved him to an upright position. The hunter leaned heavily on her, groaning as his stiff body was forced from its frozen position. With a lot of effort from both of them, Lilly managed to get his arms through the sleeves and pull the leather jacket over his shoulders.

The moment she'd finished zipping it up to his neck, Daryl's head drooped onto her shoulder. "Whoa, whoa, whoa," Lilly tried to bring his head back up. "No going back to sleep now. Do you hear me?"

Her hands cupped his face tightly as she peered into his eyes to see if he was lucid enough to understand. Daryl managed to raise a hand up to grasp one of hers and squeeze weakly, his skin icy on hers. Lilly's own frigid hand curled around to grasp it. She eyed how red and puffy their fingers were and let out a low breath.

"Hypothermia," she muttered to herself. _Great._ "We've got hypothermia."


	22. Chapter 22

Daryl's eyes started to close once again and Lilly flicked the side of his face. "No, no, no, don't even think about it," she ordered through numb lips.

The hunter snapped his eyes back open obligingly with the smallest flash of irritation. "'M not stupid…" he muttered. Lilly would have smiled at the bit of sass that still powered through Daryl's system if her face wasn't frozen. She could tell that he was trying hard to be tough, though the way he leaned precariously on Lilly's shoulder said otherwise.

Somehow, Lilly was a little less affected by the hypothermia than Daryl. It didn't make sense, seeing as she was generally far more vulnerable in every way possible. Lilly supposed that it must have been because Daryl had spent his energy on keeping her warm, giving her his jacket and taking brunt of the cold for her throughout the night. It was a noble gesture, but now her friend was in deep trouble and she wasn't much better off.

 _We've gotta move_ , Lilly thought to herself. Sitting here while the hypothermia grew worse wasn't doing them any good. They were lucky to have woken up at all. It was essential that the pair find shelter and a way to warm up soon before they froze to death. But where could they go?

Looking at their surroundings, Lilly started to form a plan. "We thought the group was headed back to the road, right?"

"Yeah, but… tracks covered…" Daryl managed to slur.

He was right. There was no way she'd be able to find footprints in this mess of white around them. But if she could just figure out which way the road was… Her eyes landed on a fallen tree nearby and the sight was enough to spark her memory. She'd seen the group's tracks pass over it last night, before the blizzard had come. It wasn't much, but she prayed it'd be enough to point them back to the road.

Gritting her teeth, she grasped Daryl's shoulders and started to adjust her stiff legs under her so that she could stand.

"What're you…" Daryl started to ask blearily.

"We've gotta get moving," Lilly told him, surprised by the steadiness in her voice. The two were stuck in a very life-threatening predicament, and she wasn't sure how she was so calm right now. Not that she was complaining. This was not a time to panic. "Come on, Daryl, up."

Daryl responded by nearly sinking back to the ground. Giving him a small shake, Lilly wrapped an arm around his torso and grasped at one of his elbows. "You can do it, hick, stand up."

It was a struggle, to say the least. Lilly practically felt paralyzed, her legs were so numb. They trembled under her weight, and it didn't help that she was supporting Daryl too. The man was barely lucid enough to figure out _how_ to stand, and he was so weak she wasn't sure he'd be able to. But Lilly knew that if they didn't move, they were going to die, and so she forced herself and Daryl onto their feet.

As soon as they were both upright, Daryl practically collapsed on Lilly. "Merle, you son of a…" he croaked.

Lilly frowned a little at this. What did Merle have to do with anything right now? She didn't have the time or energy to ask, focusing everything she had into keeping her and Daryl standing. _Now, to walk._ Lifting Daryl's arm to rest over her shoulders, she acted as crutch of sorts and braced to put one foot in front of the other.

The first few steps were slippery and tedious. Lilly was afraid that they would fall over with each movement they made. Daryl was extremely noncompliant in the beginning, grumbling indecipherably and constantly on the verge of tipping over. Lilly forced him onward, swearing a few times and keeping her gaze fixed on the fallen tree ahead. _We just have to walk that direction,_ she assured herself. _We'll reach the road in no time_.

As the blood started to flow a little better with their movements, Lilly managed to work herself and Daryl into slow, but somewhat steady pace. They shakily stepped over the fallen tree and continued onward. Lilly glared ahead as if ready to shoot lasers from her eyes. They couldn't afford to be going in the wrong direction. Wind blasted ice crystals into her face - it probably would've hurt if she could have felt anything. Instead, it merely made it harder to see. With each gust, each cloud of white they passed through, Lilly prayed that the road would be seen just ahead.

Daryl stumbled a little and Lilly grit her teeth as she kept them both from falling. "Almost there."

"Almost where?" Daryl snapped gruffly, his voice cracking and fading with each breath.

Lilly didn't reply, unsure of the answer. What had she said that for? The cold was starting to addle her thoughts. _That's not a good sign_. Saying nothing, Lilly tried to pick up the pace.

Daryl stumbled again. As Lilly practically dragged him to his feet, he flinched weakly. "Put me down, woman! I'm already dead - "

"Daryl -"

"- and so are you!"

"Shut up, Daryl," Lilly ordered as she pulled him along, refusing to let him stop.

Daryl tried to bat a hand at her, though he was so weak it wasn't much more than a feathery touch on her arm. "There's nothin' here, might as well go peacefully," he rasped.

Lilly did not these words and she did not like them coming from Daryl Dixon's mouth. If she knew anything about this man, it was that he would never go down without a fight. "You're not thinking clearly," she told him between shallow breaths.

"No better'n the walkers -"

"The cold's messing with your head."

"Lilly -"

"We just have to reach the road and then…" Lilly trailed off. _And then what?_

Daryl fell silent as well as the two both stumbled along. Lilly tightened her grip on Daryl's torso, hearing nothing but their ailed breathing and the howling wind. The goal had been to keep moving. Finding the road had initially seemed like a good decision. But once they reached it, they'd still be stuck in the cold with no way of battling the hypothermia that had seized their bodies.

She couldn't think about it right now. If she did, she'd give up. Lilly had no idea how they were going to get out of the mess, but she knew one thing for certain - her and Daryl were not going to die without a fight.

…

"Well, if it isn't Darylina, practically cradled like a babe?"

"Shut it, Merle," Daryl mumbled.

A few yards ahead, his big brother was leisurely resting against a tree, completely unaffected by the cold even though he was wearing a wife-beater. With a loud guffaw, the older Dixon popped his neck. He took in the sight of Daryl heavily relying on Lilly for support and huffed. "I mean, really though, she your nanny or somethin'?"

"M-my… friend…" Daryl managed to say.

This sent Merle into an even louder round of howling laughter. "Friend!" he repeated with a snort. "You don't got no friends, Darylina! Acquaintances, sure, people who want somethin' from ya', yeah, but _friends_?"

Daryl glared at his brother, suddenly feeling very small.

Merle pushed off the tree he'd been leaning against and came to walk beside Daryl and Lilly. As the pair trudged through the snow, he easily walked a circle around them, eyeing Lilly up and down as he went. "Nah, she ain't no friend," Merle concluded after a long observation. He came to walk at Daryl's side. "Too purrty to just be friends with. If I was you, I'dda had some fun and dropped her already."

"You shut your trap about Lilly," Daryl barked.

"Oooh," Merle's eyes widened mockingly. "Looks like you're a little… _attached_ , little brother. Shoot, that's no good. No good at all."

"You don't know nothin'," Daryl told his brother angrily.

"Don't I?" Merle challenged, walking ahead a little. "I think I've had a little more experience dealin' with them broads than you." He chuckled at some memory. "You've never been much of a charmer, I hate to say. Always sulking around the corners and snapping at anyone who so much as looked at ya'. You ever even _touched_ a girl before?"

The younger Dixon was not liking where this conversation was headed. So what if he'd never been involved in a relationship before? The world was over. Things were different now - he had friends like Lilly. "Go away." Daryl wasn't sure why or how he was seeing his brother was here in the first place. "You shouldn't even be here."

"Who says I am?" Merle shrugged. He walked backwards in front of Daryl, tapping his head with a waggle of his eyebrows. "Who says you haven't lost your marbles?"

Something vaguely clicked in Daryl's mind. "Hypothermia…" he muttered.

Merle clicked his tongue in disappointment. "Shame, really. I was hoping we'd find each other sometime. Would've loved to hear a proper apology from you."

"How many times do I have to tell ya'?" Daryl snapped. " _You_ left _me_. Gettin' yourself stuck on that roof was your own fault."

"If only you'd come faster," Merle sighed with mock solemnity. "Maybe this wouldn't've happened." He held up his arm to show Daryl how it was now a bloody stump. Daryl looked away from the sight with shame.

"I didn't do that to ya'," he told Merle quietly. "You did."

"Keep tellin' yourself that, little brother," Merle smiled. "Keep pretendin' you're worth somethin'. Won't be much longer now 'til your little 'friend' here figures it out."

"You're wrong about her," Daryl bit.

"Oh please," Merle scoffed. "You don't think I haven't seen a dozen of these broads just like her? Lookin' at some fella like he's the king of the world and feeding off him like a leech? She'll move on when she's had her fill, little brother. Just like they all do."

"Lilly's different' -"

"You think she's so special?" Merle's eyes flashed dangerously as he leaned down to talk to Daryl's face better. "She's weak, Daryl. She's usin' you. And sometime soon she's gonna go down with the rest of the world. Purtty little catches like Lilly here never last."

As Daryl continued to stumble along through the snow, he could feel himself growing weaker with every word that came out of Merle's mouth. The small presence keeping him on his feet was all he had left. He couldn't give up on her.

But he was just so tired.

"You've gotten too soft," Merle told his little brother quietly. "And now it's gonna come back and bite ya'."

"Merle…" Daryl started to say, his tone on the verge of being a plea.

Merle backed away with his arms spread helplessly. "I always told ya', Daryl, ain't nobody gonna care about you but Merle." He gestured to his bloody stump of an arm. "Look what you let happen. Look at what happens when old Merle ain't around to take care of you."

Daryl was finding it harder and harder to breath. The further his brother went from him and Lilly, the more close to death he felt. "Wait…"

"I sure hope that this doe-eyed little minx has been worth it," Merle stepped deeper into the forest, barely distinguishable between the branches and trees around him. "'Cause now she's gonna be the end of you."

….

As Lilly stuttered along with Daryl in tow, she felt more and more hopeless. The biting wind and snow blowing in her face showed no sign of slowing, and the road had not made an appearance yet. Her body was completely numb, save for the occasional ache of a joint. She was barely able to keep upright. If it wasn't for the continuous motion of walking, she was sure she'd already be unconscious.

Daryl had completely lost all awareness of anything. Arm draped sleepily over Lilly's shoulder and leaning on her more and more with each step, he was hardly even awake. An hour ago, Daryl had started talking as animatedly and loudly as his cold-injured voice would allow, holding a very angry conversation with Merle. Lilly wasn't sure what was coming out of Daryl's imaginated brother's mouth, but she got the feeling he was not liking it. In a strange way, she was almost glad that Daryl was so angry - even if it was with a hallucination. It was better than him submitting; That uncharacteristic response would have been a sign that he was getting worse.

Lilly heard her own name pop up a couple of times, though she couldn't understand much that Daryl said. The hypothermia had addled his speech quite a bit, as it probably had with hers if she'd tried to talk. She was a little surprised to have made it into Daryl's hallucinated conversation with his brother.

Much to Lilly's dismay, Daryl's senseless arguing with thin air began to diminish into what sounded more like supplication. At this point, anything that came out of his mouth was nothing more than a breathless, raspy mumble. It sounded like he was ready to roll over and let the inevitable happen. Lilly hated hearing her friend this way - practically begging, figuratively on his knees.

 _We don't have much time_ , she thought quietly. If they didn't find this road soon… _We'll find it_.

Lilly didn't know how long they'd been stumbling about like walkers. It could have been a few hours - it could have been all day. All she knew was that things were somehow managing to get worse with every moment.

Eventually, Daryl had descended to flat out whimpering. It was the worst noise Lilly had ever heard. She couldn't tell if he was hallucinating something awful, or just feeling awful in general, or both. Small, pained noises would escape his frozen lips and they would pierce Lilly's heart like a knife. Of all the things they'd endured recently, hearing Daryl at such a low was by far the worst.

It was frightening. For as long as Lilly had known him, Daryl had been a rock in her life. He'd been strong and gruff and indestructible. Nothing could get to him, nothing could even come close to bringing him down. He'd been her ever steady guardian, always the one to take care of everything and keep the world intact. To witness him now was downright agonizing.

Lilly felt strange being the one keeping them afloat right now. Never in a million years would she have foreseen that Daryl would be leaning on _her_ for help. The thought made her feel sick. It was up to her to keep Daryl alive, to keep him safe, and at this rate they could both fall over and die at any moment. The one time Lilly was given the responsibility to make sure they survived, and she was failing horribly.

The snowflakes danced before Lilly's eyes strangely now, as if in slow motion. She stared in confusion, her gaze following their lazy descent to the ground where… _the snow was red_.

A blink, and then it was pure white and untouched again.

Blink, and it was stained red.

Blink, white.

Her stomach turned to rock as Lilly dazedly realized that she was starting to hallucinate as well. She briefly remembered hearing in a health class once that hallucinating was a symptom of severe hypothermia.

 _Obviously, it's severe_ , she mocked herself. _It's been severe for a while now._

Just then, Daryl's weight started to slip off of her shoulders. "Oh no," Lilly grunted, tightening her grip on him and struggling to keep him up. "We have to keep going."

Daryl mumbled something incomprehensible in response and stopped walking altogether. Lilly's knees buckled. The only thing keeping him from falling completely down was her weak grip on his arm.

"Don't even think about it, Daryl Dixon," Lilly tried to tell him firmly, but her voice was barely existent and she could already feel herself tipping over. It was as if invisible hands had ascended from below and latched onto them, pulling them insistently downwards. Or weights had lodged themselves inside their bodies so that they couldn't stay standing. She'd been afraid this would happen. Something had been telling her that the moment they went down, they would not be able to get back up.

Daryl's head lolled to the side eerily. Lilly tried to adjust her grip on him, which only resulted in him falling further. She tried to keep her grip on his arm and was dragged down with him. Within moments, Lilly was face down in the snow.

With a groan, Lilly lifted her head up, feeling like it weighed several tons. Daryl was on the ground beside her, his face half buried in white. With a jolt of fear, Lilly forced her body upright and tried to get Daryl to sit up as well. His eyes were closed.

"Daryl…" she croaked. "We can't stop…"

He didn't respond.

"We've gotta get back up, Daryl," Lilly implored him. She grabbed the collar of his jacket and shook as hard as her weak limbs would allow - which wasn't very hard. "Open your eyes, let's keep moving."

Heart in her throat, Lilly tried hitting Daryl like she had before. "Wake up! Wake up now!"

Daryl remained limp and unresponsive. She could practically see Death holding him under, laughing in triumph as he slipped away forever. She couldn't allow it.

With a breathless cry, she tried to drape Daryl's arm over her shoulder and lift him. She wasn't strong enough, Daryl's weight flopping back to the snow as her legs quickly gave out from under her. Lilly tried again, dizzily standing up and grabbing Daryl's arms to try and pull him along. She managed for about a foot before he slipped from her icy hands and she fell back. Lilly blinked up at the snowflakes dancing above her, seeing black spots in her vision. Was this the end?

 _No, I can't give up. Can't give up. Can't give up,_ she chanted to herself, gritting her teeth and rolling over to her hands and knees. With labored breath, Lilly crawled back to Daryl's side and tapped at his face. "Daryl Dixon, don't you dare die on me now," she breathed. Her eyes were glued on his closed ones, as if staring hard enough would unseal his eyelids and he'd look back at her with that piercing blue.

When her sight started to blur, Lilly let out a scream of frustration. It was barely a scream - more like a squeaky exhale of air. She could barely move, it was all she could do to keep her head up. At last, the despair won out and Lilly realized that this was it. Her and Daryl would die. The snowflakes would powder their bodies until they were buried with white. Then they'd turn. With moans and stiff, frostbit movements, they would reanimate and wander the forest as walkers. Perhaps they would separate as undead, moving about to feed on their own. Perhaps some survivors would find them and put them out of their misery, thinking nothing of who they'd been or what their stories were.

Perhaps one of Cain's men would find them and mock their undead state, teasing them as they mindlessly snapped their jaws with hunger. Worse, maybe someone from Rick's group would find them and be scarred with seeing what Daryl Dixon and Lilly Clearwater had been reduced to.

Something rustled in the forest to the side of Lilly.

She sluggishly eyed the area, in search of the source of movement. After a moment, the sound of a twig snapping reached her muffled ears.

If Lilly had been more alert, she might have debated with herself and considered what the noise could have been. It could have been a walker. It could have been Cain or his men. It could have been nothing more than a squirrel. But she didn't care - her and Daryl were dead anyway. There was no harm in trying.

"Help…" Her voice was far too feeble and quiet to be heard. With urgency vaguely kicking in, she tried to wet her dry, icy lips and try again. " _Help_ …" It was barely even a whimper.

There was no sign of movement and Lilly thought that she'd missed her one chance. But then…

"Did you hear somethin'?"

It was a man's voice, a slight southern drawl to it, confident and authoritative… _Rick?_

Lilly tried to speak, but nothing was coming out save for air. _Come on, Lil, you're so close_. Opening her mouth, she used everything she had to make a sound, to let him know she was there. A small, crackly whimper came out.

After a moment, she heard the beautiful voice again. "Someone there?" The foliage rustled, the sound of movement inching closer.

Lilly tried to call out again. " _Over here_ …" but it was nothing more than a choking of syllables.

The black spots were now overwhelming her and her eyelids were growing too heavy to hold open. She could feel herself falling, drowning in darkness. Her body sunk into the snow next to Daryl, the hand that had been at his facing limply draping across his chest. Her head sunk into the white abyss below, like resting on a cloud, and her eyes shut.

 _Rick…_ The thoughts floated through her mind slowly and blurrily. _Daryl needs help…_

Unconsciousness took over.

"Hello?" Rick called uncertainly, wondering if he had imagined the feeble sounds. There was no response. He frowned, heart sinking. For a moment, he thought he'd heard… Perhaps it had been hopeful thinking.

The blizzard had eased off significantly, leaving thick snowflakes to merrily decorate the sky like fairy dust. They twirled through the air, making their way to the two bodies on the ground and powdering them in white.


	23. Chapter 23

_Blood in the snow. Red staining what should have been pure white. Lifeless blue eyes. Screaming._

"What's happening?"

"Stay calm, this is a good sign."

"What - she's _screaming_ , daddy -"

"I think she's waking up - that's how she woke up before, isn't it?"

"Well..."

"Maggie, go heat up some water."

"But -"

" _Now_. She's gonna be fine. Rick, get over here. Everyone else out - she needs air."

"Hershel…"

"Quit gawkin' and get outta here. I mean it."

"Lilly? Lilly, can you hear me? Come on, Lilly, you're alright now. Open your eyes."

 _Rick?_

"It's me, Lilly. Open your eyes now, ya hear?"

 _The snow…_

"Open your eyes."

 _Daryl_.

Lilly's eyes fluttered open. She was lying on something soft… a bed? Instead of the bright white of the snow she expected, Lilly was surrounded by a warm orange glow. The cold was gone. She could feel her toes again. Blinking up at the wood ceiling above, Lilly swallowed and found that her throat was incredibly sore. "Daryl…"

"Daryl's fine. You're both fine now." Rick. He was standing at her left, his face looking down at hers with worry.

"How are you feeling?" A warm hand patted her left arm and Lilly's gaze flickered over to see Hershel standing at her right. "Lilly?"

"Rick… Hershel…" Lilly croaked, her brow furrowing in confusion. "How…?"

"Found you and Daryl passed out in the snow," Rick explained. The corner of his mouth twitched as he shook his head in shock. "Couldn't believe you two were alive. We thought…" He trailed off, and Lilly was instantly reminded of Cain and his men, of her and Daryl's days spent freezing in the middle of the forest as they tried to find Rick and the group.

 _We should have been dead. This is a miracle_ , she thought to herself in quiet awe. Her wide green eyes found Rick's, alight with wonder. "You heard me."

"Barely," Rick affirmed with a breathless laugh. "And glad I did."

"How do you feel, Lilly?" Hershel asked.

Lilly paused to take a mental check of herself. She was warm. Her head throbbed, her throat was dry and raw, her joints ached, but overall she felt better than she had in a little while. "Surprisingly alright," she told him, the first hints of a smile hinting at her pale lips.

"You're lucky I didn't have to cut your toes or fingers off," he told her. "There was a little frostbite here and there. Might get some nasty blisters, but you should be alright."

"Lilly," a feminine voice gasped. Lilly looked towards the foot of the bed to see Maggie approaching carefully, a paper cup in her hands. The farm girl's face was lit up with an anxious but excited smile. "I can't believe you're okay!"

Lilly smiled. "Maggie!"

Stepping around Rick, Maggie set the cup on the bedside table and leaned down to give Lilly a gentle hug. Lilly returned it with weak arms, shutting her eyes as she revelled in being reunited with the group. As Maggie pulled away, she blinked back the glistening in her eyes. "We all thought that you… We thought we'd never see you again."

"For a while I thought that too," Lilly confessed, blinking back her own tears. "We tried to find you, we followed your tracks in the snow, but the blizzard covered them."

"You were followin' us?" Rick asked.

"We escaped Cain and his men a little bit after you'd left," Lilly told him.

"How?"

"Now wait just a minute," Hershel cut in. "This girl is recovering, she just woke up. The interview can wait."

"You need to drink as much warm water as possible," Maggie told her, finally handing her the paper cup. "Careful, it's a little hot."

Lilly sipped at it tentatively, shuddering with pleasure as she felt its warmth slide down her throat and settle happily in her empty stomach. She wiggled her toes a little and sighed in contentment. This was heaven. As her surroundings sunk in a little better, she guessed that they were in a cabin of sorts. "Where are we?"

"A few miles south of the road," Rick answered. "We're thinking this was a ranger's station of sorts. Not super big - three bedrooms, one bathroom, kitchen, living room. But it's got a fireplace. We don't plan on staying long - gotta keep moving in case Cain's trying to follow us."

"Maybe him and his men got stuck in the blizzard," Lilly said hopefully. After a moment, she added, "I think Daryl killed one or two of them. I think we left them in pretty bad shape."

"Good," Rick smiled.

Speaking of the hunter, Lilly looked around the small bedroom with a frown. "Where is Daryl?"

"He's in the other room," Hershel began.

"Can I go talk to him?"

"He hasn't woken up yet." Lilly paused at that, looking to see Hershel had a slightly worried expression on his aged face. She swallowed nervously.

"How… how long have we been out?" she quietly asked.

"A little over forty-eight hours," Hershel answered. This made Lilly's stomach twist uncomfortably. Seeing that there was no way that Lilly would relax now, Hershel decided to give the full truth. "We weren't sure either of you would wake up at all. I don't have any supplies to give you the proper treatment for such severe hypothermia - no IV's, medicine… At this rate, if Daryl doesn't wake up soon, he could be in a coma. And I don't have the means to take care of someone in a coma."

Lilly's heart sunk painfully. After all they'd been through… If Daryl didn't wake up, it would be a waste. "Can I see him?"

Hershel hesitated. "You really need to rest, Lilly."

Lilly chuckled drily. "You really think I'm going to be able to rest right now? Worrying about Daryl?"

She had a point and Hershel knew it. He relented with a sigh. "I need you to finish the rest of that water first, and I need you to eat something. Then you can go."

Lilly eagerly chugged down the rest of her water and scarfed down the oatmeal that Maggie brought in. Hershel tried to get her to slow down, as her fast pace was making her empty stomach hurt terribly, but Lilly had no patience. Perhaps she would have savored eating for the first time in days if Daryl was able to eat too, but the current situation left her no satisfaction.

While Rick went to update the rest of the group on Lilly's condition, Maggie and Hershel helped Lilly swing her legs over the edge of the bed and get on her feet. Once the many layers of blankets had been removed, Lilly discovered that she was now wearing a baggy pair of sweats, three layers of socks, and two sweatshirts. All had been found in a supply closet and had various ranger logo's on them.

It was a little hard to find her balance at first. Her head spun and her body ached, but Lilly managed to get her footing on the grey carpeted floor relatively quickly. Maggie held on to her arm and Hershel hovered behind her, both helping her make her way out of the tiny bedroom.

They emerged into what must have been the living room, a warm fireplace greeting Lilly immediately. Rick smiled when he noticed her standing. Carl, T-Dog, Beth, and Glenn were all in the room as well, their eyes lighting up when they saw her.

"Lilly!" Carl rushed forward and threw his arms around her waist. Lilly ruffled his hair with a wide grin. Before she knew it, she was surrounded by people all expressing how happy they were to see her. Lilly took in each of their faces, slightly overwhelmed by the reaction. She cared deeply about the group. It had never occurred to her that they cared just as much.

Eventually, Carl's arms were pried off of Lilly and Hershel told everyone to give her some air. With some final pats on the shoulder and a hug or two, the group allowed Lilly to make her way to the bedroom door next to the one she'd come out of. Lilly's hand paused on the door handle as she was reminded of what lay behind it.

Maggie gently squeezed her arm. "You can do this later. Daryl isn't going anywhere."

"I want to be there for him," Lilly responded, taking a deep breath and opening the door.

It was a much dimmer sight than the one in the living room. White light peered through the curtains like a ghost, casting strange shadows over the space. Lilly was a little surprised to see Carol and Lori inside. Carol was sat at the edge of the single sized bed, looking exhausted. Lori appeared to be trying to offer her a plastic bowl of oatmeal. As the door creaked open, both looked up, their eyes widening when they saw Lilly.

Before she knew what was happening, Lori had stepped forward and wrapped Lilly in a warm hug. Lilly blinked in shock, hesitating before returning. "L-Lori?"

"I'm so glad you're okay," Lori whispered in her ear. Lilly was speechless. "After those men came - and I couldn't stop thinking about how… There are so many things that I regret and I'm just... I'm glad you're with us, Lilly."

Lilly had to take a moment to find her voice again as she coped with the shock. "Thank you."

With a final, almost motherly squeeze, Lori released Lilly and smiled. Carol stepped up next to her and hugged Lilly as well, which Lilly returned a little more easily.

"He'll be okay," Carol told Lilly softly as she ended the hug. Her eyes were tired, giving evidence to the sleepless nights of worrying she'd endured. Lilly nodded with a small smile, and finally allowed herself to look past the two women and at the bed in the corner of the room.

"We'll give you a minute," Maggie said, rubbing Lilly's arm comfortingly and leaving the room. Lori and Carol both followed, shutting the door behind them with a soft click. Lilly stood precariously, suddenly extremely uncomfortable and anxious.

Daryl would have looked dead if it wasn't for the faint rise and fall of his chest. Layers upon layers of blankets had been piled over him, encasing him in warmth. One side of his face had a long, red splotch that almost looked like a burn stretched across his cheek and forehead. Parts of it looked slightly purple, blue dusting the raw skin. Frostbite. Lilly assumed that would be a bit painful if… _when_ he woke up.

Lilly slowly drew closer, noting the bedside table and chair where Daryl's vest and jacket had been draped across the armrest. She ran her fingers over the angel wings, sighing as she remembered all the times those wings comforted her. It was strange to see them not being worn by Daryl.

Biting her lip, Lilly sat on the edge of the bed and looked down at Daryl's still face. His expression was smooth of any stress lines, but Lilly found that she didn't like him this way. Seeing him relaxed and sound asleep was a rare and nice thing to witness, but this was different. This sort of unconsciousness made him look empty and helpless, as if he was facing certain doom. Lilly was disturbed by how much she'd seen of this side of Daryl lately, her mind flashing back to recall the desperate whimpers and pleas he'd deliriously mumbled as she'd dragged him through the blizzard. She missed the real Daryl - the one that was secretly kind and soft hearted but would punch you in the eye if you ever tried to expose it.

"We made it," Lilly told her friend softly. "Not sure how, but, against all odds, we're here now." Daryl was deaf to her words, silent and unmoving. She might as well have been talking to a wax figure. Lilly's fingers brushed over the side of Daryl's face as if to poke it like she had so many times before, but their touch was lighter than a feather. "You better wake up, you know. After all the crap we've been through, you can't just let go now. Daryl Dixon wouldn't give up, not like this. We need you…" Lilly's eyes tingled a little. "I need you. And if… _when_ you wake up, I have so many things to tell you. I'm gonna say that you're amazing, as always. And I'm gonna tell you you were stupid for trying to give me your jacket and almost freezing to death. And then I'm gonna tell you something funny that Carl said a while ago because it's been on my mind ever since. And if you're still listening and haven't rolled your eyes and told me to quit being a sap yet, I'm gonna tell you I care about you and that there's no one else I'd rather be stuck in a blizzard with and that I think you're more than a friend to me."

The longer Lilly spoke, the faster it came out until the last sentence was spilling out of her mouth before she could even realize what was being said. Her breath caught as she fell silent, realization hitting her. Daryl meant so much more to her than a friendship. She wasn't sure what that meant, or where that put them. All she knew was that she wanted Daryl Dixon in her life forever.

As if worried he had somehow sensed what she was thinking, Lilly watched Daryl anxiously, almost expecting him to shoot out of the bed and start scolding her for being dramatic. But he was unmoving as ever, oblivious to the revelation that had just been made. It was slightly disappointing.

The mad thumping that had begun in Lilly's heart calmed, leaving her feeling on edge and impatient. "You better wake up, Daryl Dixon," she muttered, moving to sit on the chair at his bedside, determined to wait him out. As she stood, an impulse hit and Lilly paused.

Carefully, as if the slightest wrong move would break something, Lilly leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to Daryl's forehead. She shut her eyes as his warm skin met her lips, her heart aching as she wished he would wake up. Then she pulled away, sat on the bedside chair, and hugged her knees to her chest.

Daryl would wake up. She wouldn't leave this room until he did.

…

Orren, Malachi, Paul, and Angus. That's all that was left of Cain's terrific group. Upon entering Blackforest Retreat, they had been a strong group of eight. With the addition of Paul, Angus, and Leonardo, they had felt confident in taking down Rick and his sad little possy. Raiding Blackforest Retreat should have been the end of it.

Now, no thanks to a certain mousy brunette and a redneck, their group of eight had been cut down to four. Jeff and Erik had both been killed when they'd tried to take Daryl outside and execute him. The hick had then shot Cain in the head while everyone had been distracted with the girl. Leonardo had gotten shot to death chasing after the pair when they made their escape.

Malachi was injured but alive, Paul and Angus were healthy but furious, and Orren had a bullet wound in his leg and was positively festering with obsessive fury.

Leadership was tense, but rested with Orren overall. Paul wasn't extremely fond of this - the bald, tattooed man was unstable and out of control, to be frank. Between the bullet in his leg, the lack of fingers on his hand, and the overall humiliation from being bested by a scared, green-eyed girl twice now, Orren was nearing insanity. He rarely slept, using the time to pace and mutter to himself, planning everything he wanted to do to Lilly with a crazed look in his soulless eyes.

Paul and Angus weren't terribly fond of Lilly either. How long had it been since they'd entered her life, killed her family, and been told that she'd been driven to suicide in the attic? They didn't like loose ends, and the fact that Lilly was alive somewhere was the equivalent to fate mocking them. It didn't help that Leonardo, who'd been with them through most of the apocalypse, was now dead because of her redneck friend.

Malachi didn't particularly have it out for Lilly or Daryl - he was just along for the ride. Sure, he was angry and he'd love to put a bullet in their brains, but Angus thought this obsession with the two was getting out of hand. Not that he would admit it out loud. Orren would probably kill him if he tried.

The four had stayed in the now bloodied cabin for a few days as they nursed their wounds and their pride. On the bright side, they now had all of the supplies left behind by Rick and his group. After deciding that those who had bullet holes in their bodies were healed enough to fight, the four packed some bags and headed out for their prey.

It'd been an optimistic twenty-four hours. The snow had provided the perfect means by which to track. There wasn't even an argument when they had discovered that Lilly and Daryl's tracks had split from the rest of the group's - there was barely even a discussion. All had automatically agreed that they would much rather spend their energy on the pair of misfits who had managed to kill over half of their men now.

Then the blizzard had hit. It was as if Mother Nature was trying to give them a good spanking. Orren had barely even registered the cold or the fact that the tracks were gone, so focussed on getting his revenge once and for all. He'd nearly bit Angus's hand off when he'd tried to make him stop chasing after signs that didn't exist. It had been a long, heat-filled argument as Paul, Angus, and Malachi worked to convince Orren that they needed to go back to Blackforest Retreat and wait the storm out. It was only after they swore to keep searching for Daryl and Lilly later that Orren relented.

Now, the four were huddled in front of the fireplace, slurping loudly on stew and glaring at the white abyss in the window.

"She's mine first," Orren muttered absently, his gaze a thousand miles long.

Paul glared at him, snorting at dramatics that went through this man's mind. "S' long as Angus and I get to kill her when you're done, don't really care."

"Her and the redneck," Angus piped up.

Malachi coughed loudly, exhausted. He was coming down with a bad case of pneumonia, no thanks to the blizzard raging outside. The man was sick, grumpy, and tempted to leave the group if he was completely honest with himself. He'd heard the exact same conversation over and over as the other three men danced around the bloody topic like moon's around the sun. Everything was about revenge on Daryl on Lilly. All they thought of was how to find them, how to cause the most pain possible, how to get the most enjoyment from their sick acts. This obsession was toxic - it was suffocating them, turning them into mindless drones, robbing them of any survival instinct. He wouldn't be surprised if they willingly killed themselves for the chance to bring Daryl and Lilly down with them. It was ridiculous.

Malachi's train of thought was interrupted by another long, juicy round of coughing. He laid his sweaty head back on the couch he'd been resting on, eyes shut in pain.

"Would you shut it?" Angus snapped. "You'll get us all sick."

"If you'd stop talking about the stupid girl for once and searched for some drugs, you wouldn't have to worry about it!" Malachi wheezed angrily.

Orren cast him a dark look. "That _stupid girl_ is the reason we're in this mess. Don't start forgetting what we're here for."

"What we're here for?" Malachi laughed hollowly. "What, so now she's the reason we exist? The girl's long gone at this point. They all are. Let's move on."

Orren had his spindly hands wrapped around Malachi's throat in a matter of seconds. Malachi gagged, his eyes wide in shock. Paul and Angus watched on intensely, almost excited to see if Malachi had said too much.

"You listen to me now, because I'm not explaining this to you again." Spittle dripped from Orren's mouth as he spoke, his pit-like eyes aflame. "We don't do anything until that girl and her redneck pet are _dead_. We don't _move on_. We don't eat, we don't sleep, we don't breath, we don't even _think_ about anything else. And if you show any sign that you're forgetting that… Well, let's just say that your little illness is threatening our safety and we might just need to destroy the threat. Am I clear?"

Orren's hand relaxed a little around Malachi's throat, giving him room to breath raggedly. "Crystal," he choked out, heart pounding.

For a moment, Orren looked unconvinced, ready to 'destroy the threat' anyway. Paul and Angus waited with bated breath, eyeing the slight twitch in Orren's wrist and the way his tongue flicked across his teeth several times. The veins on his bald scalp stuck out uncomfortably, swelling and pulsing from behind the tattoos. This was not the Orren who had been locked in jail for murdering his girlfriend - the apocalypse had warped him into something much, much worse.

Orren let a glob of spit fly out of his mouth and onto Malachi's face before releasing him and backing away. In the blink of an eye, he had returned to his dark, brooding self, sitting back down by the fire and eating his stew as if nothing had happened.

He couldn't wait for this storm to end.


	24. Chapter 24

" _Daryl… wakey wakey, little brother."_

 _Blue eyes hovered above him, identical to his own. "Merle," Daryl huffed. "Get outta' my head, man."_

 _Merle chortled. "No can do, I don't got no control over that. Just you. I'm touched you've made me such a big part of your conscience, Darylina, really, warms my little heart."_

" _Go away."_

" _Now, is that how to treat your old Merle?" The older Dixon tilted his head, an expression of mock hurt on his face as he clutched at his heart. "You might wanna pay attention to what I'm tryin' to tell ya', ya' know. It's time to_ wake up _."_

 _Daryl frowned in confusion. "What are you talkin' ab-"_

" _That purrty little green-eyed girl of yours is waitin'. At least, you better hope she is."_

" _You don't know nothin," Daryl grumbled._

" _Oh don't be so literal," Merle rolled his eyes. "So maybe I'm all in your head, so what? Doesn't mean I'm wrong. That girl - what'dya call her? Lilly? Well, she won't be around long so you better get back to her soon."_

" _What is that supposed to mean?" Daryl didn't like where his brother was going._

" _How many times do I have to say it, little brother? The girl's temporary. She's not gonna last. Somethin's gonna come along and take her from you. Walker's gonna eat her up, some lunatic's gonna stick a bullet in her pretty little head. Or maybe she'll leave all on her own - realize she's wastin' her time with the likes of you and scamper on outta here -"_

" _You shut up!" Daryl snapped._

" _I'm just sayin' what's already in your head, Darylina, don't shoot the messenger," Merle raised his hands innocently. "Just accept it. Save yourself the hurt."_

 _Daryl was done with this conversation. "Think I'm gonna wake up now."_

" _You do that," Merle smiled toothily. "Goodluck, little brother. I'm always happy to chat."_

… _.._

The first thing he noticed was the particles of dust dancing above him - for a moment, he'd grudgingly assumed they were snowflakes. Gone was the never ending white he'd grown accustomed to. Shadows stretching over wood walls surrounded him. He was in a bed, uncomfortably taking note of the lack of boots on his feet or leather on his shoulders. There were so many _layers_. It was suffocating.

Daryl pulled his arms out from under the covers, instantly realizing how warm he was. His hands were a little swollen, the tips of his fingers dark. They tingled strangely, though Daryl preferred it to the horrendous numbness his nerves had acquired in their time with the blizzard. Stupid frostbite. Stupid hypothermia. He didn't remember much - his last full memory was that awful night when he'd noticed Lilly was unwakeable and had tried to use his jacket to keep her warm. Then there were vague flashes of her waking him, practically carrying him along through the snow, telling him not to give up.

Lilly. It appeared she'd saved their lives somehow. Where was he, anyway? More importantly, where was Lilly?

It didn't take long for his searching gaze to land on the young woman. She looked like a photograph, curled up on a chair nearby and fast asleep. The light seeping from behind the curtains fell angelically on her face, highlighting the shine of her caramel brown hair and the way her eyelashes' shadows stretched across her cheeks. It was as if the sun had cast a spotlight on her, asking all to look at the lovely image. Only Daryl was here to see it.

He frowned upon further inspection. The cut on her head from when she'd fallen (had that only been a couple days ago?) was covered with a nasty scab that marred her otherwise smooth skin. She was achingly pale, a hint of blue frostbite dusting her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. Her hands weren't much better than Daryl's, also frostbit and already blistering a little. Heavy bags hung under her eyes and Daryl was glad she was sleeping. The only thing that reassured him of her health was the rosy pink color of her soft lips.

As Daryl allowed himself this small, guilty pleasure of just being able to stare at her, respect and affection tickled at his chest. He didn't know what had happened exactly, or how. All he knew was that Lilly had dragged him out of death's door and survived a blizzard that should have killed them both. If he'd been told what she would be capable of when he'd first met Lilly, Daryl would have scoffed and refused to believe it. He never could have imagined that climbing into that attic would be the beginning of something incredible, never could have foreseen how important this girl would become to him. She was stronger than anyone realized - and the moment she figured that out, Lilly would be unstoppable. Daryl just hoped she wouldn't abandon him when she did.

The hunter would have been content to watch Lilly sleep for the rest of the day, but nothing ever lasted. A line started to form between Lilly's brows as she twitched, beginning to stir. A small whimper sounded and Daryl instantly realized it was a nightmare… as usual. Apparently even hypothermia couldn't take those away.

His body ached in protest as Daryl forced himself to sit up and pull the covers off, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Every motion hurt, his head throbbed, and his throat felt drier than sandpaper, but Daryl pushed it in the back of his mind. Wincing a little, he leaned forward and let his hand fall on Lilly's shoulder. "Hey, you're alright now. Everything's fine."

Thankfully, Lilly was sleeping rather light and Daryl's quiet words were enough to wake her with ease. Her breath hitched a little as her green eyes shot open and flickered around the room for a moment. "Daryl…"

"I'm right here."

Lilly's gaze landed on Daryl's blue one and froze. She blinked in surprise, slowly taking him in, sitting in front of her, hand still on her shoulder, and actually awake. In a flash, Lilly's eyes lit up and her hand shot up to grasp Daryl's. "You're awake!"

"Yeah, I kno-" Daryl was cut off as Lilly launched herself out of her chair and threw her arms around him. She held him tightly, and Daryl only had to breath for a second before he was returning the happy embrace.

No words were spoken. Both took the time they needed to reassure themselves of each other's presence. Lilly stood at the bedside, clutching Daryl tightly and resting her head on top of Daryl's, Daryl remaining sat with his arms wrapped around her waist as he allowed himself a moment of unashamed relief.

After a long moment, Lilly kissed the top of Daryl's head so softly that he barely even felt it. "You're okay," she breathed. "Everything's okay."

Daryl reluctantly released her from his arms, resting his hands on his knees and looking down awkwardly. "Look's that way, except I'm not sure where we are."

Lilly took small step back and sat back on the bedside chair, her eyes never leaving Daryl once. She was scared to blink - afraid that one wrong move and she'd find out that it was all wishful thinking. "We're at some forest ranger's cabin. Rick found us."

"Rick's here?" Daryl's eyebrows shot up at that.

Lilly smiled brightly. "They're all here. They found this place just as the blizzard was starting and have been waiting here for it to end. But Rick and T-Dog went out to try and hunt, and they managed to find us before…" She trailed off, her smile fading a little. Daryl waited, stomach twisting uncomfortably as he watched ghosts appear in Lilly's eyes. They glinted distantly, clearly haunted by the things her and Daryl had narrowly escaped.

"I thought you and I would be walkers," Lilly confided softly. She looked down at her hands, clenched in her lap. "I thought I was gonna lose you. You were barely alive, hallucinating, constantly on the verge of falling over. I've never seen you like that, and I felt sick because the one time you needed me I was going to fail and get you killed. And passing out next to you in the snow, not knowing if Rick was going to find us in time…" Lilly cut herself off, gritting her teeth and giving her head a small shake, as if to rid herself of the awful memory.

"He did find us," Daryl assured her quietly. "We're both fine now."

"You almost weren't," Lilly said, twiddling her thumbs nervously.

" _Almost_ isn't dead," Daryl shrugged, not sure why she was still so bothered.

"No, you don't -" Lilly started to snap, her eyes flashing up to his with a newfound sternness in them. She bit her lip, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Do you know how long you've been asleep, Daryl? Four days. _Four days._ I woke up on day two. I've been sitting in here waiting for you to give me some sort of sign that you're alright for two days. We haven't been able to feed you, hydrate you, do anything to help you because we don't have the supplies to do it. You've been laying here starving to death in front of me. Hershel was starting to try and tell me that you weren't going to wake up ever again. I finally told everyone to stay out of this room, because I couldn't take the looks they were giving me, the way they kept trying to hint that it was time to let go. They didn't get it - I _couldn't_ let go."

Daryl was very confused. Why was she saying all of this? "Lilly, what on Earth are you talking about -"

"I've realized something, Daryl," Lilly told him, her voice quivering. "And while I've been sitting here, waiting for you to be okay, it's all I've been able to think about. I was so scared I wouldn't be able to tell you…"

Daryl was a little nervous, if he was completely honest with himself. Lilly was tensing up with every word she spoke, something building up inside her chest, ready to explode if she didn't get it out soon. She looked like she was losing control, almost afraid of herself. He scooched forward a little on the edge of the bed and reached out to touch her hands that were fisted up in her lap. "Lilly, what -"

Lilly flinched at his touch. "Just hear me out before you do anything, okay?" Her wide green eyes bore into his, and Daryl reluctantly pulled his hand back. Lilly swallowed, suddenly worried that the words would get stuck in her throat and refuse to come out.

"Daryl… I care about you… so much," she breathed. Daryl opened his mouth to say he knew she did, but Lilly hurried on before he could. "More than a friend should." Daryl felt his heart tighten, his entire being freezing as Lilly continued. "I don't… I don't know what this feeling is, but it's unlike anything I've felt for anyone and it's burning me up inside. I don't know what it means, I don't know what I'm supposed to do with it, I just know that I need to tell you it's there and that you are more than a friend to me."

Something deep down was letting Daryl know exactly what Lilly was saying, but his conscious mind couldn't quite let him believe or grasp it. "I'm not sure what you're talkin' about -"

"Daryl," Lilly exhaled, exasperated with herself and with the situation in general. She wanted her feelings out, she wanted him to get it, she wanted… "I'm sorry, I just…" Unable to find anymore words, Lilly abruptly stood out of her chair and brought her hands to Daryl's face, leaning down to -

"Wait -" Daryl's mind blanked and his instincts kicked in. Before he realized what he was doing, he had shoved Lilly away from him and stood up defensively. Lilly stumbled back and fell into the bedside chair, looking up at Daryl in shock. So many feelings were racing through Daryl's senses, his head was blurred. This was unknown territory and Daryl had no idea how to process it, so he grasped at the one thing he knew all too well: Anger.

"What was that?" He snapped, glaring down at Lilly tensely.

Lilly blinked up at him, her mouth opening and closing like a fish as she tried to figure out what to do. "I - Daryl, I -"

"You what?" Daryl bore down on her. "Spit it out, already."

Lilly had her hands on the sides of her face, humiliation quickly building up in her stomach. She didn't know what she expected to happen, but this was certainly not it. "I'm so sorry, I thought - I was just - "

"You have some nerve, you know that?" Daryl scoffed, shaking his head in disgust and beginning to pace the length of the small bedroom. "Bet these past few days have made you think you're really somethin'."

"Daryl -"

"You think I'm _stupid?_ " Daryl shouted. Lilly cowered into her chair, hands over her mouth as the awful situation unfolded in front of her. "You think I'd actually fall for - for _that_?" Daryl spat. "What even _was_ that? Huh? What - who - why - you thought you could just waltz in and…" Daryl wasn't sure what he was trying to say, stuttering out random pieces of thoughts and feelings. He was losing his grip, and quickly latched onto his anger again. "Get outta here!"

Lilly was frozen in her spot, frightened by the unexpected reaction that was Daryl Dixon. "Daryl," she tried again.

" _Get out_!" Daryl carelessly gestured towards the door, ending his pacing a few feet away from her. "I don't wanna see your face, you understand?"

Lilly took in Daryl's furious expression with wide eyes, feeling as though someone had dropped her on her back and knocked the wind right out of her. The stabbing pain of rejection pierced her heart and she swallowed drily, blinking back the tears that were trying to creep out. Daryl watched without feeling, his blue eyes icy and hard. With a shuddering breath, Lilly forced herself out of her horrified stupor and shakily stood up. Unable to hold his cold gaze, she ducked her head down and made her way towards the door without a word, careful not to get too close to Daryl as she stepped around him.

Daryl was unmoving, keeping his back to her as he waited for her to disappear. So many emotions were brimming at the seams, and he just needed Lilly gone before they spilled over.

Her hand curled around the doorknob, heavy with defeat. That's when Lilly hardened and suddenly stood up a little straighter. How dare he treat her like that? Of course, Daryl was allowed to reject her, but the least he could do was have a little decency about it. Hot anger mingled with the hurt she was feeling and Lilly clenched her jaw. Turning around, she gave the back of Daryl's head the most tangible glare she could muster.

"If that wasn't the overreaction of the century, I don't know what is."

With that, Lilly held her head high and exited the room, slamming the door behind her. The rest of the group was gathered in the living room and kitchen, staring at her with thousands of questions in the air. Clearly, they'd heard Daryl's little temper tantrum.

"Lilly…?" Maggie inquired cautiously.

Lilly fought to keep herself in control. "Daryl's awake," she snapped. Before she could take her bad mood out on anyone, she hurried into the bedroom next door and did her best not to slam that door behind her too.

The group had enough sense to give Lilly some space. She sat on the small bed in the room with her knees curled up to her chest. Tears tickled the back of her eyes, but Lilly forced them back and swallowed the lump in her throat, refusing to cry over Daryl-Stupid-Dixon.

The sound of something clattering to the ground seeped through the wall. Daryl was kicking stuff around next door, no doubt taking his anger out on the poor furniture. Lilly couldn't help but flinch at each bump and crash she heard, sinking further and further into absolute humiliation. Apparently, opening up to Daryl had been a big mistake.

She could hear someone step into the room next door, a moment later the low sound of Rick's voice saying something. Daryl's voice responded almost immediately, no doubt retorting with something hurtful. Lilly listened to Daryl and Rick banter back and forth, unable to hear what was being said. From the way Daryl's voice eventually began to soften, she could tell that Rick was successfully calming him down. After a while, she heard Hershel enter the conversation, and guessed that he was taking care of Daryl's medical needs now that the hunter was finally awake. Things got quiet for a little while, no doubt while Daryl was fed and caught up on the nutrition he'd been greatly lacking. Even through the negative emotions that plagued Lilly's insides, she couldn't help the small bit of relief that came from knowing Daryl was being taken care of.

Eventually, others from the group began to come in to welcome Daryl back to the world of the living. It hurt to hear their joyful exchanges with Daryl as they all reunited. Lilly was slightly envious of them all. She could practically see it as people clapped Daryl on the back or gave him a cautious hug which he'd accept, smiling and expressing how happy they were that he was back. Daryl was probably a bit embarrassed by the attention, ducking his head and shrugging like he didn't care, though secretly just as happy to be with the group again.

She should have kept her mouth shut. Lilly knew that now. The relief that Daryl was awake and going to be okay mixed with the adrenaline of realizing how much he meant to her had blinded Lilly of common sense. She'd let her emotions control her, acted rashly, and had effectively ruined her and Daryl's seemingly unbreakable friendship.

In the moment, Lilly had felt like simple friendship wasn't enough. Now, she realized that she'd give anything to be with Daryl at all, even if it was only as friends.

The sky grew darker behind the curtained window, but Lilly didn't move. She was lost inside of herself, wallowing in self pity and angst. It didn't help that her body ached and the patches of frostbite on her face and hands were starting to tingle painfully.

As if sensing the need for medical attention, Hershel quietly entered the room with lamp swinging from his hand. The warm light danced over Lilly's sullen face. Sighing at his aching back and knees, Hershel sat on the edge of the bed next to Lilly and set the lantern down on the bedside table. "How are you feeling?"

Lilly almost laughed. The question was so broad, Hershel could have been asking about anything. Rather than voice the mental and emotional pain throbbing at her chest, Lilly opted to talk about the physical. "A little achy. And these blisters are starting to hurt."

Hershel kindly patted the space next to him, urging Lilly to sit at the edge of the bed and closer to the lamplight. "Let me see."

Lilly obeyed quietly, letting her sock covered feet dangle over the edge of the mattress as she held her hands out for Hershel to look at. He took them in hers, carefully turning them over and examining the swollen welts that had formed on her fingers. Then he looked over her face, softly running a finger over the bruise-like blue patches on her cheeks. Lilly winced a little at the touch.

"It'll be a little painful for a while," Hershel told her after his examination. "But you're healing well. It might help to drain these blisters."

"Okay," Lilly agreed hollowly.

"I can do that right now."

"Okay."

Hershel searched her face for any emotion and found none. She looked like she'd exhausted herself. "I'll be right back."

He left the room, leaving Lilly to remain unmoving in her place while she stared at the lamp. A minute or two later, Hershel returned with a first aid kit. "We found this in one of the supply closets," he told Lilly as he sat back down next to her. "Doesn't have much - a few bandages and neosporin and whatnot, but it'll serve our purposes."

Lilly allowed Hershel to take one of her hands and watched as he pulled what looked like a sewing needle from the bag. He used the needle to poke one of the blisters, Lilly biting her lip and wrinkling her nose as it began to leak puss. "Ugh."

Hershel chuckled quietly and covered the blister with a rag, giving it a few minutes to drain. "Oh hush, you've seen much worse."

The corner of Lilly's mouth twitched. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Both fell silent. Eventually, Hershel pulled the rag away from the now drained blister and put some neosporin on it. He moved on to the next blister. "You're a very brave young woman, Lilly," Hershel suddenly said.

Lilly gnawed at her lip, a little uncomfortable with the compliment. She wasn't sure if she believed it. "Thank you."

"Rick told me what you did at Blackforest Retreat," Hershel continued. "Going back to help Daryl, that took a lot of courage."

"Or stupidity," Lilly replied with humorless smile.

"I think it takes a certain amount of stupidity to do something courageous," Hershel told her. "If we thought too carefully about every single thing we did, we'd never get anything done."

"But careful thinking keeps us from doing things we regret."

"You regret helping Daryl?" Hershel asked.

Lilly's eyes widened as she realized how that had sounded. "No! Oh, gosh, no, of course not. I was just - I thinking of something else…" she trailed off, not wanting to elaborate on recent events.

Ever-perceptive, Hershel simply nodded with understanding and turned his attention back to treating Lilly's hands. He'd finished draining the blisters, and was now working on covering them in bandages. Lilly remained silent, keeping her eyes down as she turned Hershel's words over in her head.

Whether it was brave or stupid to try and tell Daryl how she really felt about him, Lilly had no idea. All she knew was that she wished she hadn't done it at all. The rejection and loss was too painful. It would have been easier to have kept it a secret. The not-knowing would have been frustrating to live with, but at least her and Daryl's friendship would be intact.

As Hershel finished putting the final bandage on, he patted Lilly's hand comfortingly. "Whatever happened between you and Daryl today is none of my business," the old man told her kindly. "But I think you should know that Daryl has more fear than people realize."

Lilly frowned at that. What in the world was Hershel talking about? Daryl was the least fearful person she knew.

Before she could ask Hershel what he meant, the man had released her hand and stood, taking the first aid kit with him. "You should rest while you can," he suggested gently. "I suspect this blizzard will be ending soon, and Rick will have us on the move again."

"You're probably right," Lilly agreed, though she already knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep. The air felt… _wrong_ … without Daryl there. It seemed like she'd been sleeping with Daryl nearby to guard her from the nightmares forever. Now that he was absent, Lilly didn't know how she'd ever functioned before.

For the millionth time, a pang of regret ached in Lilly's chest and she wished dearly that she would have kept her feelings for Daryl bottled up. Why did she say anything? Why did she let those confessions spill out and make a mess on what had been a perfect friendship?

"Whatever's happened has happened, Lilly," Hershel said as he made his way to the door. "Be patient. Whatever needs to be done will be done, and one day you'll realize that there is nothing to regret."

Hershel gave Lilly a smile and closed the door behind him, leaving Lilly alone with the lamplight and a small frown. Sometimes, she believed Hershel could read minds. Other times, she wondered if he even knew what the strange advice that came out of his mouth meant. At this moment, she was thinking both of these things.

Feeling a headache beginning to grow, Lilly laid back on the bed with a long sigh and stared at the ceiling, settling in for what was sure to be a long night.


	25. Chapter 25

**Bit of a shorter chapter, but I've also done a little drawing for the story that someone suggested. You can see it at . If anybody would like to PM me their own art based on this story, I will happily post it on my blog and share the link here. I'm pretty excited about this chapter, so I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for the reviews as always, they're fantastic motivators. And thanks for reading!**

Daryl couldn't sleep.

He didn't know long he had simply laid there, staring at the ceiling, trying to convince himself that the strange feeling of 'wrongness' that hung in the air was _not_ because of Lilly. Nighttime ticked by painfully slowly. The silence, lacking in the sound of soft breathing nearby, mocked him. He was half tempted to go try and sleep in the living room where much of the group slept, but his pride wouldn't let him. Besides, Hershel had been insistent on Daryl keeping the bed for tonight, certain that him and Lilly were the ones who needed the most sleep. It was a pity that neither of them were getting any.

Daryl didn't doubt that Lilly was awake too. If she'd managed to fall asleep, he would have heard her screaming by now, plagued with the nightmares that always came. He wasn't sure what he would do if that did happen - going to wake her like he used to would have felt wrong, though leaving her to be woken by someone else felt even worse.

Stupid girl. Why did she have to complicate everything?

It was still hard for Daryl to wrap his head around the events of the day. More specifically, the events surrounding Lilly. He hadn't ever dreamed that she would be so bold, that she would confess such vulnerable feelings to him and then try to…

Of course Daryl had thought about what it would be like to kiss Lilly. He'd thought about it on multiple occasions - particularly after Blackforest Retreat. But he never imagined that it would actually happen. He wasn't the type to do something so reckless, and he'd _thought_ Lilly wasn't the type to initiate something like that either.

It had been a knee-jerk reaction, both figuratively and literally pushing her away as soon as she'd tried to come closer. It was simply an instinct, born out of years of abuse and pain. Daryl rarely felt wanted, and never had he had someone who seemed to want him so much. It was terrifying.

As the thing Lilly was saying had begun to connect, Daryl's automatic emotional response was that of fear. Words that had come from a hallucinated Merle's mouth had echoed in his mind.

" _You don't think I haven't seen a dozen of these broads just like her? Lookin' at some fella like he's the king of the world and feeding off him like a leech? She'll move on when she's had her fill, little brother. Just like they all do… She's weak, Daryl. She's usin' you. And sometime soon she's gonna go down with the rest of the world. Purtty little catches like Lilly here never last… How many times do I have to say it, little brother? The girl's temporary. She's not gonna last. Somethin's gonna come along and take her from you. Walker's gonna eat her up, some lunatic's gonna stick a bullet in her pretty little head. Or maybe she'll leave all on her own - realize she's wastin' her time with the likes of you and scamper on outta here…"_

Fear of rejection. Fear of grief. Fear of loss. They'd bounced around Daryl's skull like ricocheting bullets the moment he'd realized what Lilly was trying to do. He'd already let so many walls down for her, had allowed her farther in than anyone else had managed to come, had risked so much, and she hadn't been satisfied. Lilly wanted to get even closer, like a small child poking fate with a stick. She didn't understand that it was only a matter of time before they lost one another, that the closer she came the more pain there was going to be in the end.

That was the real problem, Daryl realized. Everything ended. He couldn't grasp the concept of something _not_ ending horribly. After his mother died, after his father turned into a drunk monster, after he realized he was the scum of society, after the walkers showed up, after Merle left, after Sophia, after the farm went up in flames… Daryl had always known one thing for certain: Nothing ever lasted.

Now here was Lilly, with her innocent wide-eyed stare, brimming with the naive belief that there was still hope for the world, that there was hope for her and Daryl. It made Daryl sick. How could she not see how easily something bad would happen? Daryl saw it all as bright as day - a walker sinking its teeth into her neck, a bullet lodging itself in her brain, a sickness draining her of life, a man better than him charming her away, a seed of doubt prompting her to abandon him. However it happened, Lilly would disappear and the pain would be unbearable. It would break him.

The truth of the matter was Daryl had pushed Lilly away because he didn't want to lose her. It was stupid logic, now that he thought about it. This way, he was going to lose her no matter what, and it hurt incredibly. Perhaps it would be better to take the risk, to follow Lilly's example and make the most of now. Who knew? Maybe they had a chance and wouldn't have to lose each other at all.

That is, if Daryl hadn't botched it all up already. He'd humiliated Lilly today, yelling at her like that. He'd acted ridiculously. After today, would Lilly even take him back?

There was only one way to find out.

….

Lilly had eventually given up on even pretending she was going to be able to sleep. With a sigh of frustration, she got out of bed and wandered over to the window, pulling the curtain aside a little. It was eerily dark outside. The blizzard raged on, dark clouds blocking out any moonlight, snow swirling through the air and making it hard to see much of anything. All Lilly could really make out was a dim shade of white.

This felt too much like her attic. Walls all around her, no view of the outside world, suffocating darkness and a sense of oblivion. Lilly once lived in that feeling. Now it antagonized her.

The faintest sound of growling floated to Lilly's ears, so distant she thought she'd imagined it at first. A few moments later, her dark-adjusted eyes picked out a patch of shadow in the snow, moving at an achingly slow place. With enough focus, she could hear an occasional snarl. A walker.

Lilly watched the walker move at a snail's pace through the blizzard for a long time, hungry for the distraction. She had to give the mindless creature some credit - the fact that it was able to move through the thick white at all was somewhat admirable. It was with a little disappointment that she watched the walker eventually stumble to the ground and quickly get buried in snow.

The thought of walkers hiding under feet of white powder sent shivers up Lilly's spine. She'd have to remember that when the group started traveling again. It'd be horrendous if someone were to unknowingly step on a reanimated corpse and get bitten.

"Had a feelin' you wouldn't be asleep."

Lilly gasped loudly and jumped, whirling around with her hands at her chest. A tall figure stood near the bedroom door, lurking in the shadows. Daryl.

Taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart, Lilly closed her eyes and ran a hand through her hair. "You scared me."

"Sorry," Daryl replied with a little shrug. She could practically feel the wry smirk pulling at his mouth.

For a moment, Lilly had forgotten the things that had happened that day, and almost smiled at him. It didn't take long for the memories to return, however, and with a sinking heart she stiffened and turned away. She tried to focus her attention on sliding the curtain shut, but she could feel Daryl's gaze burning a hole in the back of her head.

Once the curtain was drawn, Lilly fidgeted with the sleeves of her sweatshirt uncomfortably. With tense muscles, she reluctantly turned back to face Daryl, though her eyes flickered between him and the floor as she struggled to look at him. It was painfully silent.

Something hung thick in the air, though Lilly didn't know what it was. She could sense a heavy energy about Daryl, brimming with suspense, and it was driving her crazy. What was he doing here? The hunter's presence was sending waves of anxiety, embarrassment, and anger through Lilly's chest. Anger was the easiest to handle, so she focussed on that.

Voice soaked in bitterness, Lilly spoke. "What do you want?"

Daryl took a long time to answer. He swallowed, doing his best not to fidget under Lilly's heated gaze. He could sense that the longer he stood there, the more frustration she felt. _Spit it out, already,_ he scolded himself. "I'm sorry."

This caught Lilly off guard, even though a part of her knew that there couldn't be another reason for Daryl's midnight visit. She blinked and grit her teeth, trying to contain any form of reaction. Lilly wasn't sure how to respond just yet.

Raising her chin a little, she forced herself to keep her glare on Daryl's face. He'd really hurt her today, and she wasn't going to let him off easily. "You pushed me."

"I shouldn't have done that," Daryl started to agree. "There's no excuse -"

"And you made me feel like crap," Lilly continued.

Daryl ducked his head in shame. "I know."

"I put myself out there for you today, Daryl Dixon," Lilly hissed softly, taking a few steps forward. "I completely opened up, and you threw me out like a piece of trash."

"I'm sorry," he told her again.

"And you shouldn't have given me your jacket," Lilly found herself adding.

Daryl had been prepared to offer another apology, but paused with a frown. "What?"

"When we got stuck in the blizzard" Lilly elaborated, crossing her arms over her chest. She hadn't planned on bringing this up, but now that is was out she might as well have her say on the matter. "I woke up to find you unconscious at my feet with the jacket nearby. When I managed to wake you up, you said you'd been trying to keep me warm."

Daryl blinked in confusion. "What's wrong with me keeping you alive?"

"It almost got you killed," Lilly told him firmly. "It's why you're hypothermia got so bad, why it took you four days to wake up, because you forgot to take care of _yourself_."

This made Daryl angry. There were things he was willing to apologize for, but this was not one of them. "I was saving your life," he snapped, " _again_."

"Well it was a stupid move," Lilly retorted.

 _Ungrateful little_ … Daryl stiffened, stepping forward with a glint in his eye. "Well you're one to talk," he growled. "Almost breaking your neck for a squirrel, skipping on up to Cain's men and practically begging them to have their way with ya'."

Lilly's eyes widened. _He did_ not _just go there_. Now, she was positively livid. "We are _not_ talking about that again," she snarled.

"Why not?" Daryl spat. "You think you're allowed to get all twisted up over a stupid jacket and I can't be upset that you tried to take on a group of rapists by yourself? That's not how this works, princess."

"Then tell me how it works," Lilly held her hands up in exasperation. "Please, tell me. Because it seems like we keep running into this problem."

"Quit puttin' yourself in danger and there wouldn't _be_ a problem," Daryl shot back.

Lilly let out a laugh that was anything but amused. "We're in the apocalypse, Daryl! We're always gonna be in danger!"

"Keep your voice down," Daryl shushed her, reminding her of the people sleeping on the other side of the door. Lilly scowled, but quieted herself. "If I hadn't given you that jacket, you would have died," Daryl whispered angrily. "You should be thanking me."

"Only when you thank me for coming back for you at Blackforest Retreat," Lilly hissed right back.

Daryl resisted the urge to punch the wall, turning to pace the length of the room. "I'm not gonna - agh - I came here to apologize to you, not have another fight!"

"You're not getting it, Daryl," Lilly violently batted a lock of hair out of her face. "I was scared. I was scared Cain was going to shoot you. In the blizzard, I was scared you'd freeze to death. For two days, I was scared you'd never wake up. Today, I was scared you would reject me and tell me you never wanted to see me again, which is exactly what you did."

"I was scared too!" Daryl blurted out.

The words made Lilly step back in surprise, her lips parting as she gaped at him. Had she heard that right? "What?"

Daryl stopped pacing and took a deep breath. "I was scared too," he admitted again, softer this time.

All of the anger melted away, leaving Lilly standing there with nothing but confusion. "Daryl…" she shook her head softly, "What could you possibly be scared of?"

Daryl took a step towards her, leaning in close as he tried to get through to her. "How many times do I have to try and explain this to you, Lilly?" he whispered furiously. "You do nothin' but scare the living hell out of me. Every day, all I can think about is making sure you survive this stupid apocalypse. And then you have the nerve to go out and get attacked by walkers, and fall out of trees, and get hypothermia, and make a group of rapists think that all they want is to make you suffer. And you're just so breakable, with your skinny little arms and your big green eyes -"

"I'm not made of glass!" Lilly snapped.

"I don't care what you're made of! You could be made of concrete and be able to take down a whole army of walkers and I'd still be worried about you!" Daryl took another step forward, coming closer and closer to her. "Get it through your thick skull, Lilly! I'm scared of losing you!"

Their faces were inches away from each other. Lilly's eyes were as round as saucers, staring into Daryl's blue ones in shock. Daryl fell silent, catching his breath, suddenly exhausted. He didn't open up like that, had never allowed so much to come spilling out.

Lilly didn't know what to say. Of course she knew that Daryl cared about her to some significant degree - after all they'd been through together, she'd have to have been blind to not see that. But she'd never realized just how far Daryl's caring extended. She suddenly understood. Daryl had attached himself to her. It didn't matter if he was angry with her or kept her at arm's length. Whatever happened to Lilly would affect Daryl's life.

That's why he'd reacted the way he did when she'd tried to get closer. He was already overwhelmed with the bond that had formed between them, and it was a moment of absolute terror.

"Daryl," she breathed. "I've said it before and I'll say it again. I'm not going anywhere."

"You don't know that," he told her quietly.

"Look at how much we've survived already," she smiled softly. "We're gonna be fine."

"But you don't _know_ that, Lilly," Daryl started to protest.

"You're talking to the girl that spent half a year in an attic because she didn't know what would happen if she went outside," Lilly raised her eyebrows. "Look where I am now."

Daryl's shoulders started to relax, his fists unclenching. He was giving in, albeit reluctantly. Lilly cautiously reached a hand out and brushed her fingers over his knuckles, testing to see if he'd push her back. When nothing happened, she carefully grasped his hand. "I'm scared of losing you too, Daryl. But if there's one thing I've learned from leaving that attic, it's that I can't let 'what if's' rule my life. As long as I have a say in it, we're not going to lose each other. And if something happens, we'll handle it like we always do."

For a moment, Lilly thought Daryl was going to pull away. But then his thumb brushed over her fingers and he said something so quietly, she almost didn't hear it. "Can I try somethin'?"

Lilly's breath hitched in her lungs as she saw the way Daryl was looking at her. She wordlessly nodded, holding her breath as she waited to see what he would do.

Daryl came closer. It was almost awkward the way his face hovered only an inch or two from hers. His eyes flickered all over her face, examining every detail of it. He was nervous. Really nervous. That much was clear.

Lilly waited patiently, her heart pounding, her eyes never leaving Daryl's as she tried to read what he was thinking. The hand she wasn't holding slowly made its way to her face, calloused fingertips brushing across her cheekbones carefully. He cradled the side of her face in his large, warm palm, his other hand tightening around hers. Then Daryl's eyes closed and he kissed her.

It was lighter than a feather, his lips ghosting across hers nervously. A second later, and he was pulling away.

With newfound boldness, Lilly leaned forward on her tiptoes to capture his lips in hers. For a moment, Daryl was frozen in surprise, but as Lilly's lips beckoned him in, he responded with more confidence this time. Lilly moved Daryl's hand that was grasping hers to her waist, tangling her other hand in his hair. Their movements were slow, experimental. Neither of them had done something like this before. They hugged one another closer, unable to get enough now that they both knew how they felt.

Eventually, they had to breath. Both pulled away, their foreheads pressed together as they caught their breath. Lilly couldn't help but smile widely as she drank in the sight of Daryl's eyes. "Apology accepted."

Daryl chuckled lowly. "Whatever, princess." He leaned in and kissed her again.

…

The next morning found Daryl and Lilly cuddled together on the single bed. After a long time of kissing and revelling in the new development of their relationship, both had settled easily into a blissful sleep. Lilly had her head on Daryl's chest, his arms wrapped around her waist, their legs tangled together.

Daryl had been awake for little while now, watching sunlight slowly reach through the curtain and illuminate the room in a pleasant, warm glow. He couldn't believe that it was real. He held Lilly's small figure close, feeling her breath against him as she slept. As always, the nightmares had tried to disturb her peace, but Daryl found that a few whispered words of assurance and a stroke of her hair settled her right back down. Her hair was almost addicting to touch, he had quickly learned. It was silky and soothing, shining various colors of chocolate and caramel.

Eventually, the sunrise brought enough light to coax Lilly awake. She stirred in Daryl's arms, letting out a small moan as she buried her face in his chest. Lilly breathed in the musky scent of leather, a small smile curling at her lips. She could feel Daryl running his fingers through her hair and bit back laugh of relief. Last night had actually happened. Daryl Dixon had kissed her.

Lilly brought her face up and rested her chin on Daryl's chest, looking up at him shyly. "Hey."

"Hey," Daryl smirked. Even with the scar on her head and patches of frostbite blemishing her creamy skin, she looked positively radiant. Her green eyes sparkled with a certain smug blissfulness he'd never seen before.

"Did I even have any nightmares last night?" Lilly pondered out loud. She couldn't remember having to wake up at all.

"A little, but I took care of 'em," Daryl replied, his voice gravelly with sleep.

Lilly gazed at him appraisingly, rewarding him with a rare dimpled grin. "You're wonderful." After a moment of contemplation, she carefully stretched her neck up and planted a quick, shy kiss on Daryl's lips.

She was pulling away far too quickly for Daryl's liking. He sat up, bringing her with him, and cupped her face in his hands, leaning in to kiss her deeply. Lilly let out a content sigh, happy to reciprocate.

When they finally pulled away, Lilly kept her eyes shut and let her forehead rest on Daryl's collar bone. "We should go out and be with the group before someone walks in and sees this."

"Nah," Daryl declined dryly, causing Lilly to chuckle.

"I just don't want to make anyone uncomfortable," she tried to explain.

Daryl pressed his lips to the top of her head. "They're gonna see us both leaving the same room anyway."

"True," Lilly sighed. She was reluctant to have this conversation, afraid to ruin anything, but it needed to be done. She slowly pulled her head up to look Daryl in the eye. "So what are we gonna tell them if they ask?"

Daryl snorted. "We're gonna tell 'em to mind their own business."

"What are we gonna tell ourselves?" Lilly asked quietly, uncertainty thick in her green irises.

Daryl took in her worried, somewhat insecure gaze and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "You said you're not going anywhere, didn't ya'?" Lilly nodded. Daryl planted a chaste kiss on her lips. "Well neither am I."


	26. Chapter 26

It was definitely an uncomfortable experience when Daryl and Lilly went out in the living room. Much of the group was there, their eyes bulging as they saw the couple leave the bedroom together. Lori had to take a moment to gawk, hand on her swollen stomach, mouth hanging open. T-Dog smirked quietly. Beth leaned over and whispered something in Maggie's ear that made her giggle while Glenn waggled his eyebrows at Lilly.

Lilly ducked her head, her face heating up as if lava was running through her blood. Daryl nudged her shoulder gently, though for all his talk about it not being anyone's business, he felt a little bit shy too.

"How are you feeling, Daryl?" Hershel asked casually, though the entire group waited for an answer as if there was some scandalous subtext to come.

"Fine," Daryl shrugged, feeling his own face heat up. This was suffocating, the group's eyes on him and Lilly like wolves hungry for gossip. "Where's Rick?" he asked, shifting uncomfortably on his feet. Lilly stood next to him with her arms crossed self-consciously, desperate for an excuse to escape the questioning stares.

"He's outside with Carl," Carol answered immediately. She felt bad for the pair. It was obvious the scrutiny was killing them. Her eyes locked with Daryl's and she tilted her head in the direction of the front door meaningfully, trying to give him and Lilly an out.

Daryl thankfully cleared his throat and made for the door. Lilly moved to follow, allowing her hair to make a curtain over her red face as she went.

"Ah - shouldn't you both eat first?" T-Dog called out with a little smirk.

"Nah, gotta talk to Rick about… security…" Daryl mumbled, his hand already on the doorknob.

"Well Lilly needs something in that tiny stomach of hers," T-Dog pressed before they could get out. Both came to an abrupt halt.

"I'm not really hungry," Lilly shook her head with a fake smile.

"Haven't seen either of you in a while. We need to catch up," T-Dog told them. From the mischievous glint in his eye, it was clear he wasn't going to drop it.

Before Lilly could open her mouth to come up with another excuse, Daryl cut her off. "You don't need to talk to Rick, Lil, I've got it taken care of."

Lilly blinked and slowly looked up at the hunter. "Uh - well, actually -"

"Really, you need to eat," Daryl insisted. He managed to seem so nonchalant about the whole thing, and yet Lilly could see the twinkle of amusement in his eyes and the twitch of his mouth.

Lilly schooled her features, but gave Daryl a secret glare that screamed ' _You're dead to me_.'

"Oatmeal's getting cold, Lil," T-Dog beckoned happily.

"You heard the man," Daryl smirked. Before Lilly could do anything to defend herself, he leaned forward and pecked a quick kiss on her forehead before disappearing out the door. Lilly was left standing there, stuck in a room of stares begging for explanation. She couldn't believe it. Daryl had managed to worm his way out of the situation altogether and leave Lilly to face the consequences.

 _Smug little redneck,_ she glowered to herself. Then she plastered a careless expression on her face and went to join the group for breakfast.

…..

Daryl felt a little bad for abandoning Lilly to brave the mob of questions on her own, but he knew she could handle it. He, on the other hand, was much too closed off a person to even think about dealing with people who had nothing to do with anything that had happened last night. It was mind boggling that someone would have so much interest in the whole matter, acting like it was some form of entertainment.

With a scoff, Daryl trudged into the snow and glanced around. It was with a start that he realized there were no longer snowflakes getting pelted through the air. All was still. The blizzard had ended. How had he not noticed sooner?

Lilly. She was far too distracting for her own good. With a small shake of his head, Daryl forced himself to focus on the task at hand. He spotted Rick and Carl easily nearby. Both were knelt on the ground, examining something intently.

Rick was the first to hear Daryl's footsteps crunching the snow. He looked up, a smile stretching onto his face when he saw the hunter. "Glad to see you up and about." He'd been a little worried the day before, when Lilly had stormed out of the room and Daryl had been a raging, frostbit mess.

"Watcha lookin' at?" Daryl asked as he came closer, tilting his head at the ground where Carl was still crouched over.

"Found some deer tracks," Rick explained, returning to his son's side. "We were trying to decide if it'd be worth going after."

Daryl crouched over the track with expert eyes. Carl backed away to give him some space, watching with admiration. After a moment, Daryl straightened up and bit at the corner of his thumb. "Hard to tell. Could be an hour away, could be four. When did the blizzard end?"

"A little after midnight," Rick answered, his shoulders dropping. "Probably best not to risk it. We've stayed here long enough."

"What's the supplies like?" Daryl asked, not sure he wanted to know the answer.

"Better than nothin'," Rick sighed, tucking his hands in his jacket pockets. "We found some extra clothes and blankets around here, a first aid kit, some canned stew and a huge box of oatmeal. It's tight, but hopefully it'll hold us up 'till we find more."

"So what's the plan?"

"We stick to the road and keep moving," Rick answered. He met Daryl's eyes with a helpless expression, shrugging a little as if to ask, _what else can we do?_

Daryl supposed it was the best option, though he was concerned about one thing. "What about Cain and his men? They could be followin' us."

"That's why we keep moving," Rick nodded sullenly. "Hopefully they won't catch up. This blizzard's got to have thrown them off our scent. Though I've been meaning to ask you…" Rick hesitated, glancing at Carl. The boy was kicking absently at the snow, not paying much attention to them. "Carl, why don't you head inside?"

Carl took the hint immediately and left, leaving Daryl and Rick alone outside. Rick put his hands on his hips. "What happened back there, at Blackforest?" he asked quietly. "How'd you get away?"

"Lilly showed up, nearly got herself killed," Daryl answered, brushing over just exactly what would have happened to Lilly if they hadn't escaped. "Tried to offer herself up in exchange for them letting me go," he scoffed. "We're both lucky I've got good aim."

"You kill any of 'em?" Rick asked hopefully.

"I know I killed three of them," Daryl responded, remembering the two men who'd tried to shoot him outside, and Cain's look of shock as he'd stuck a bullet in his brain. "Their leader's dead. Think I injured a few others, not sure how many were left."

Rick's face lit up at the news. "You killed Cain?"

"Shot him while everyone was distracted with…" _Lilly_. Daryl wished he could take that image out of his head and burn it. All those men, pinning Lilly down on the floor, crawling on top of her while she screamed in protest… Just thinking about it made his lungs constrict painfully.

Rick could see it in Daryl's eyes, the way the man fidgeted with his hands, suddenly very antsy. "What happened, Daryl?"

Daryl chewed at the inside of his cheek. It was one thing to argue with Lilly about the whole thing - that was a fight they'd never resolve. But Rick had played a part in it too, Daryl realized. It was uncomfortable, he didn't want to blame the ex-cop, but he needed to say a few things. "You shouldn't've let her come back for me," Daryl confided gruffly.

Rick's gaze fell to his feet in shame. "I tried, Daryl, I did, but she wouldn't have it any other way. There wasn't time to stop her, I had to protect the group -"

"You should've dragged her by her hair out of there," Daryl cut him off. "Knocked her out 'n stuck her over your shoulder, threatened her, whatever it took to get her away from that cabin."

"There was nothin' I could do, Daryl," Rick tried to explain. "Just like there was nothin' I could do to stop you from staying behind in the first place."

"That was different," Daryl started. "If I hadn't stayed to buy you some time, they could've caught you all."

"I know but…" Rick let out a breath. "It didn't sit right with me. Still doesn't."

"We did what we had to, Rick."

"Doesn't mean I don't feel sick about the whole thing." Rick scratched the back of his neck. "I can't apologize for letting Lilly go back for you. If she hadn't, you wouldn't be here right now. And the group needs you. Nobody felt safe with you gone, nobody else knows how to hunt, and we all missed you. It was like losin' the farm all over again."

Daryl listened without expression, gnawing at his lower lip. He understood what Rick was saying, though it was strange to hear how the group had taken his absence. He didn't think much about whether the group valued him or not, even though Lilly was always saying how important he was to them.

"You didn't answer my question," Rick prodded gently. When Daryl looked up at him with questioningly, Rick tilted his head. "Somethin' else happened back there. You keep avoiding it."

Daryl wasn't sure what to say. That night they'd escaped Blackforest Retreat had been silently bothering him for days, and for once it was something he couldn't talk to Lilly about. She was scared enough of Cain's men as it was. Perhaps it would help tell Rick. "There's somethin' wrong with those men," Daryl said lowly. "They're after Lilly. Not just the group. They want Lilly."

"What do you mean?" Rick frowned.

"Apparently she took off one of the guy's fingers the first time we met them and he's had it out for her ever since. Then there's these other guys that joined the group - they're the ones who killed her family. They weren't happy to see that she was still breathin'."

"So, what, some of Cain's men are out for revenge on her alone?" Rick narrowed his eyes.

"You weren't there, Rick" Daryl shook his head as he tried to explain. "You didn't see the way these men were lookin' at her. It was more than just wantin' to kill her. They want to do all sorts of things to that girl, and not just for the fun of it. They're obsessed. They've got some sick fascination with hurting Lilly that makes my skin crawl."

Even thinking about it was making his hands clench into tight fists. He'd never voiced this out loud, not wanting to scare Lilly. But it felt right letting Rick know exactly what was motivating Cain's men to come after them.

"You really care about her," Rick observed quietly. Daryl huffed, annoyed with the comment. Of course he did, why was everyone making such a big deal of it? With a nod of perfect understanding, Rick clapped Daryl on the back. "Lilly's safe with us. As long as we keep moving, we have nothing to worry about."

Daryl nodded back appreciatively, feeling a lot better now that someone else was aware of his concerns. He was glad that he wouldn't be the only one keeping an eye on Lilly if something happened.

"Speaking of which," Rick sighed, "now that we're all awake, I think it's time to pack up and get outta here."

…

"So… you and Daryl, huh?"

Lilly was practically hiding behind the paper cup of oatmeal she'd been given. She was huddled close to the fire, though her furious blush was doing enough to keep her warm as it was. She could feel everyone's curious gazes trying to burn her alive.

"We didn't - um," Lilly cleared her throat awkwardly. "If you're thinking that we - it was just - we're just -"

"Leave the poor girl alone already," Carol came to the rescue, sitting at Lilly's side with her own cup of oatmeal. Lilly let out a breath of relief, before Carol playfully nudged her side with a smile. "I think it's sweet."

"I totally saw it coming," Glenn piped up. Maggie smacked him on the shoulder, though she was grinning too.

The front door opened and Lilly looked up at it hopefully, praying it was Daryl coming to help her out of the uncomfortable situation. To her dismay, it was Carl, who sat down next to Beth listened to the conversation curiously.

"Let's not assume anything just yet," Maggie said with a straight face, though it was plain to see she was amused. "We just saw him kiss her on the forehead - "

" _And_ leave the bedroom with her," T-Dog cut her off smugly. Lilly groaned and put her face in her hands. They were never going to let it go, she realized with despair.

"Wait - did they finally make out?" Carl spoke up innocently. The entire room bust up in laughter. Not even Hershel could contain his chuckling. Lilly wasn't even hiding the fact she was embarrassed anymore, refusing come out of hiding behind her hands.

As the laughter started to subside, T-Dog leaned over and poked Lilly's arm. "Well, go on, Lil, answer the boy."

Everyone waited with bated breath as Lilly slowly emerged from her hands. Her face was redder than a tomato. She knew that nobody was going to let it go quietly until she gave them what they wanted. Might as well get it all over with. "Yes."

Everyone erupted into another round of laughter, T-Dog pumping his fist and cheering and Carl shouting "I knew it!".

"But that was all!" Lilly tried to add, hoping to retain at least some of her dignity. It was lost in the belly-aching laughter, however. The group hadn't laughed this much or even smiled in a while. It was a much needed relief from all the seriousness. Looking around, the sight of everyone happy made Lilly smile too - even if their amusement was at her expense.

Just as Lilly had hoped, the conversation finally dissolved into other matters and the initial awkwardness melted away. The group joked around with one another, trying to hold on to this piece of normalcy as long as they could. It wasn't until Rick and Daryl both came inside that they were reminded of where they were.

"Storm's ended, it's time to get moving," Rick announced. The mood changed instantly, a somber look clouding everyone's faces as they finished off breakfast. Lilly's shoulders slouched a little as she she looked around at the group. It wasn't fair that they were stuck in this situation. A sense of anxiety hung over their heads as they all wondered where they'd sleep next, where they'd find more food, how they were going to keep surviving with so little. Lilly suddenly wished they could go back to teasing her, already missing the carefree laughter that had warmed the room.

Daryl was looking at her from the other side of the room and their eyes met. Lilly gave him a soft, wistful smile that he returned. The exchange was enough to keep her from getting too down.

There wasn't much preparation to be made - all they had was two ratty duffle bags full blankets and the little amount of food they'd found. In less than ten minutes, everyone was bundled up as much as they could be and ready to go. Those without jackets had a blanket wrapped around their shoulders. At least they all had shoes.

As they were heading out, Lilly found herself next to Lori, who was gritting her teeth. "How are you feeling?"

Lori looked over at Lilly with a little surprise, but her eyes softened. "Nervous," she admitted quietly.

Compassion for the woman bubbled up in Lilly's insides and she found herself putting a hand on Lori's shoulder. "Let me know if you need anything, okay?"

"Thank you." Lori smiled, placing her hand on Lilly's for a moment. "It's good to have you back."

Lilly smiled back and followed Lori out the door. Rick walked at the front of the group, Daryl automatically thinking in terms of security and taking up the rear. With a bit of sadness, the group turned their backs on the ranger's station.

They followed a side road up to the main one, beginning the long trek to a place that was yet to be decided. With the blizzard finally over, the sun shone down brightly, its light bouncing off the snow and causing everyone to squint a little. The air was chilly, though nothing near as bad as the cold Daryl and Lilly had nearly died from. It didn't do much more then turn the tips of people's noses red and make their breath visible. Overall, it was a crisp day and it would be bearable to walk in.

It didn't take long for Maggie to sidle up to Lilly. "So I heard Cain's dead. That true?"

"Yeah," Lilly told her friend. "Daryl shot him."

"How'd you two get away?" Maggie asked. She looked over at Lilly with a mixture of caution and curiosity.

Lilly felt weird talking about it, but she decided there wasn't a reason not to. So with a small breath, Lilly told Maggie everything. She explained how her family had been killed, how those same murderers had joined Cain. She told her about the bald man with the dragon tattoos all over his head and how he was mad that she'd cut his fingers off. Then she told Maggie about how she'd offered herself up in exchange for Daryl's life, not realizing that they would take him outside and shoot him anyway. Maggie listened to all of this wordlessly, holding back any reactions. It was a little harder to talk when Lilly explained what the men were planning on doing to her, so she kept it brief and plowed on through, quickly getting to the part where Daryl came in in a whirl of bullets. She finished the tale with her and Daryl fleeing the cabin and escaping into the snowy woods.

"And you'd been tracking us since then?" Maggie raised her eyebrows.

"Until the blizzard started," Lilly affirmed. "Then we were just trying to find the road."

"Well I'm glad you're both with us," Maggie told her warmly. She let out a long sigh, her eyes falling to the snow at her feet. "We all were worried sick about you. Didn't think there was any way you'd come out alive. Glenn and I couldn't sleep - not just 'cause we were cold - thinking about what might have happened to you. What you sacrificed for Daryl…" she trailed off and glanced over at Lilly with a smirk. "I'm glad he's got someone like you around."

Eventually, Maggie caught up to Glenn to walk with him. Lilly smiled at the pair walking in front of her. It was unfortunate that they all had to make a trek through the winter weather, living on the hope that they'd find something to keep them going, but at least they were all together.

Lilly hung back a little to walk at Daryl's side. He looked over at her curiously, but she merely shrugged and remained silent. It just felt better to be close to him. Daryl nudged her side companionably, blue eyes somewhat lighter with her near. The fact that they could both be content with nothing more than each other's presence was significant to him. There was no pressure to talk or be doing something. Having each other was enough.

When the sun was directly above their heads, Rick pulled the group to a stop and gave them a moment to rest. Everyone agreed that they felt good enough to go a little longer without food. Saving the little that they had was important seeing as they didn't know where or when they'd get more. A few people sat down in the snow to catch their breath, others glancing around the area for any animal tracks to potentially hunt.

Lilly leaned against a tree next to the road, picking at the bandages that covered her hands. Thanks to Hershel draining the blisters, the frostbit skin hurt a lot less.

Daryl came to stop in front of her, glancing around the area cautiously. Now that he felt the safety of an entire group on his shoulders once again, he was a little tense.

"The tree's aren't going to bite back," Lilly joked wryly.

"But the walkers might," Daryl responded, completely unaffected by the jab.

Lilly reached out and wrapped one of his hands in hers. "What's wrong?"

Daryl looked down at her big green eyes, blinking up at him innocently. What was wrong was that they were out in the open, on a road, with a group of rapists possibly searching for them and looking to hurt one of the most important people in his life. But Daryl wasn't going to say any of that to Lilly. She depended on him for security and he didn't want to make her any more worried than she already was. "Nothin's wrong."

His eyes fell to Lilly's pleasantly rosy lips and he leaned forward to kiss her.

"Ah -" Lilly ducked out of the way. When Daryl frowned and opened his mouth to ask what the problem was, Lilly cut him off with a glare. "You left me to deal with the teasing this morning. They were merciless, Daryl."

The hunter rolled his eyes. "What'd they say?"

"A lot of 'finally''s," Lilly answered with a small laugh. "I think Carl was particularly excited."

"Good for Carl," Daryl grumbled. "Can I kiss you now?"

Lilly grinned and rose up on her tiptoes to plant a quick kiss on his lips. She knew Daryl well enough to realize that he was going to be shy about these things, so the fact that he was flat out asking to kiss her in public wasn't something she was going to turn down.

The happy moment was shattered by a sound that made everyone glance up dread.

It was a soft rumbling, barely enough to raise any attention at all, but no less threatening. The low sound echoed eerily around them, hovering on the gentle wind like the devil himself was slithering towards his prey. There was only one thing it could be, but nobody wanted to believe it.

T-Dog abruptly stood up, Beth and Carl following suit. Lori looked over at Rick with wide eyes, hands over her stomach protectively. Rick's entire being tensed up as he froze on the spot, double checking to see if he was actually hearing it correctly.

"Car engine," he muttered under his breath with apprehension. Time stood still, everyone looking to Rick as they realized what it could mean. That car engine could be anything.

In the blink of an eye, Rick shouted and time started up again. "Everyone get off the road!"


	27. Chapter 27

It was a blur of mass panic.

Everyone rushed to the sides of the road, diving into the forest like mice caught in a spotlight. There was very little sound made. The rumble of the engine coming combined with the pounding of blood in their ears was enough noise already.

Daryl grabbed Lilly's wrist and yanked her around the tree she'd been leaning against faster than she could swallow her heart back down her throat. She found herself tripping along as Daryl practically dragged her through the snow. They quickly reached a mass of bushes and Daryl shoved Lilly behind them, nearly laying on top of her as he dropped down over her.

Both lay crouched on their stomachs in the cold, Daryl's body half on top of Lilly's. She stared at the snowy leaves that tickled her face with a dry mouth, blood pulsing loudly in her head. This was bad. This was very bad. The car engine rumbled ever closer and there was only one thought blaring through Lilly's mind.

"Daryl, the snow," she breathed shakily. "They'll see our tracks. They're gonna find us."

"Just stay quiet," Daryl whispered in her ear. He remained crouched over her protectively, his own heartbeat thumping fast enough to explode. He too was extremely worried with the tracks that were clearly visible in the snow. Lilly was right. There was no way they'd go unnoticed.

Tightening an arm around her shoulder, he fought to keep his breathing steady. Lilly was as stiff as a board under him. Glancing around, he could see that others in the group had hidden similarly, behind bushes, some even managing to climb up trees. For all they'd done to hide in the short amount of time given, they all cursed the snow, knowing it would likely waste their efforts.

Lilly discovered that there was a spot between the leaves she could peer through, giving her a perfect sight of the road. Ignoring the snow soaking through her sweater, she she rested her chin in the icy powder and waited impatiently.

It didn't take long for a very familiar vehicle to slowly roll in. It had been one of the group's before they'd had to flee Blackforest Retreat. Lilly's stomach churned sickly. There was only one group of individuals that could be in that car.

To her horror, the vehicle's brakes squeaked and it eased to a stop. Daryl picked up the sound and tensed up, unconsciously tightening his hold on Lilly even more. Through the peephole provided by the gap in the bushes, Lilly peered at the halted car and sucked in a breath when the passenger door opened and the last man she ever wanted to see stepped out.

Orren. The sight of his pale, tattooed, bald head was all she needed to see before a wave of terror took over. Daryl felt her entire body lurch into a round of uncontrollable tremors and heard her breathing grow more and more shallow and ragged by the second. She was flat out terrified.

"It's them," Lilly gasped softly, barely able to get the words out she was shaking so much. Daryl understood her fear immediately, his chest tightening and his pulse going into overdrive. He let his thumb run over Lilly's arm in an attempt to calm her, though it was hard to comfort someone else when his own nerves were falling off the deep end.

"Looks like they ran into the forest," Orren called out. Paul hopped out of the driver's side and came around to squint at the snow, scattered with footprints. Both men's eyes followed the various pairs of tracks into the foliage. They weren't aware of just how close their victims were, but they would be very soon.

As if things couldn't get worse, another growl sounded behind Daryl and Lilly - but not one from a car engine. Daryl dared to glance carefully over his shoulder and his heart sunk. A handful of walkers were obliviously making their way through the forest, stumbling closer and closer to his and Lilly's hiding place. He bit back a loud curse word. Fate had a sick sense of humor.

Lilly could hear the walkers too and shut her eyes in exasperation. This was not happening. Not only did they have to worry about these men slaughtering their group, but now they were concerned with getting eaten too.

Daryl was internally screaming at everything that could have put them in this situation, when a thought hit him. It was a long shot. It was crazy. But they didn't have a lot of options and he was willing to do anything to make sure Lilly didn't wind up in Orren's unsavory hands.

Pressing his face into Lilly's head, he whispered so softly that she barely understood him. "Trust me."

 _Always have_ , Lilly thought back, not daring to voice anything with danger so close. She bit her lip and tried to control her breathing, curious as to what Daryl would do and hopeful that he had a solution to this mess.

"Poor idiots," Angus snorted as he got out of the car to stand by Orren and Paul. "Must've been hoping the blizzard would keep us away."

"Snow's not doing them any favors, that's for sure," Paul chuckled. A large rifle clicked in his arms and he stepped off the road, Orren and Angus following close by with their own rifles.

With cautious, subtle movements, Daryl dug his fingers into the snow and wiggled them around, praying he'd find something that would work for his purposes. The three men came closer, guns grasped in their hands and ready to shoot, their heads down as they peered at the mass of footprints in the snow. _Come on,_ Daryl mentally growled, moving a little faster as the men came nearer. At last, his fingertips brushed over something smooth and he extracted a small pebble from the snow. His fist closed around it, and with a deep breath, Daryl chucked it as hard as he could to the side.

The pebble bounced off a tree trunk with a loud click and then crashed into the foliage growing at the base of the tree, causing the leaves to rustle disruptively.

Lilly nearly swallowed her own tongue when she realized what Daryl had done. What was he thinking? The sound was sure to lead both the walkers and the men right to them. But she closed her eyes and focussed on keeping a cool head, reminding herself that she trusted Daryl no matter how crazy his ideas were.

As was expected, the three men all aimed their guns at the spot where the pebble had landed. At the same time, the walkers snarled excitedly and made a beeline for the spot, bumping into each other in their hurry to find the potential meal.

Daryl was holding Lilly so tightly against his chest that he would have worried about suffocating her in any other situation. This was the moment of truth. So many things could go wrong - the walkers could smell him and Lilly and veer off course, the men could find their hiding spot before the plan had a chance to work.

Lilly jumped and barely managed to swallow back a yelp as a loud gunshot pierced the air. A walker thumped to the ground. Four remained, now completely enthralled by the three men shooting at them. With a quick pace and outstretched arms, they stumbled right pass Daryl and Lilly's hiding spot. One of them tripped over the bush and nearly tumbled right on top of the pair, but its focus remained on the loud guns and the live food standing behind the machinery.

Several more gunshots rang out, bodies crumpling to the ground one by one. The last walker could be heard dropping into the snow a few feet in front of Daryl and Lilly's hiding place. What remained of the loud gunshots slowly faded into silence.

"Ugly fools," Angus spat.

"Look at their foot prints," Paul pointed out. "Lot like the ones we've been following."

"Why, 'cause they're all clustered up in a group?" Orren sneered threateningly, as if daring Paul to keep talking.

"Well, yeah -" Paul started.

"You saying we've been following a bunch of walkers around all morning?" Orren's voice rose, spittle dripping from his dry lips as the anger began to boil strong.

Angus came to Paul's aid. "A group of footprints all over the place in the middle of the apocalypse, we can't always expect the tracks to be alive. We should've seen this coming."

The argument cut off Orren's growing desire to lash out. He couldn't get after the two men for falling for walker tracks - he was included. Berating them for the mistake would point out his own stupidity as well.

Lilly watched through the foliage as Orren glared hard at the dead walkers nearby, veins throbbing angrily on his hairless scalp. With a twitching jaw, he tilted his head at the bushes Lilly and Daryl were hiding at. Lilly sucked in a breath as she peered through the small gap in the bushes. With alarm, she watched him suddenly make a beeline straight towards them, coming to a halt at a dead walker laying a mere foot away. She could see his boots, every scuff and tear in the leather, even a few bloodstains soaked into the shoelaces.

With a loud, hoarse scream, Orren kicked at the corpse in front of him. Daryl and Lilly both held their breath, muscles tense enough to break. Only feet away from them, Orren's boots collided with the walker's body, accompanied by loud cracks and squelches as each kick slowly mutilated its already deformed face. Dark, rotten blood sprayed across the snow and leaves. Orren showed no sign of stopping his assault on the lifeless creature, shouting and snarling furiously like some sort of rabid animal.

"Oh calm down!" Angus yelled over Orren's shrieks. He stomped forward and yanked the bald man back by the collar of his jacket. "This isn't doing any good for us."

"Get your filthy hands off me!" Orren spat, shoving Angus away from him. Angus tripped back a few steps and Orren moved to stomp on the walker's head.

Angry at being pushed, Angus roughly grabbed Orren's shoulders and swung him back from the walker. "No, you need to get your head straight, man," he sneered. "You're acting like some wild dog. Get it together."

Orren bared his teeth at Angus and moved to tackle him, but Paul yanked him back. "Knock it off. Now," he ordered firmly, his voice coated with threats. Orren glared hard at Angus, fists clenched until his knuckles were white and his veins looked ready to pop. The three fell silent, waiting for a decision to be made.

They were only steps away from where Daryl and Lilly hid. The couple both laid frozen behind the bushes, holding their breath anxiously. Lilly was gnawing on her lip so hard that the metallic taste of blood began to fill her mouth. _Please go away, please go away, please go away,_ she prayed silently. The only thing keeping her from full on panicking was Daryl's sturdy, protective stance against her. The tense silence seemed to stretch on forever. Lilly eventually squeezed her eyes shut and tried to focus on nothing but Daryl's warm body against her back, the way he tried to provide as much security as possible with his arm around her and pinning her to his chest.

Daryl was deathly still. In his mind, he was already preparing himself to either grab Lilly out of the snow and race with her as far away as possible, or to fight the three armed men as hard as he could and hope he wasn't shot. One sound, one movement, and they would be found.

The three men were in a silent stand off, oblivious to the fact that their targets were only a few careful looks away. Orren was on the fence between submitting and calming down or attacking Angus. His wild eyes flickered to the unmoving walker that he'd pummeled, then to the footprints spattered all over the ground. He needed Paul and Angus to help him find Lilly. They had to remain compatible if he wanted everything to go his way.

At long last, his fists unclenched. "They can't have gone much farther," he grumbled defeatedly.

"There's no way they can outrun a vehicle," Paul readily agreed. "Come on, we still have quite a bit of daytime to search."

Spitting on the walker he'd kicked around, Orren turned on his heel and stomped back towards the car parked on the road. Paul and Angus exchanged a look of annoyance and followed suit. They slammed the car doors shut and the engine rumbled to life. The tires squeaked as they were urged into motion, and the car grudgingly rolled onward.

Lilly watched the vehicle disappear from her peephole in the bushes, then listened as its grumbling engine began to fade. Neither she nor Daryl moved a muscle or dared to breathed as they waited for it to go far away. In the foliage and trees around the road, the other members of the group waited with disbelief in their eyes.

When the car engine was barely even audible, Lilly finally let her face fall into the snow and let out a long, shuddering breath. Daryl let his weight relax at her side, his arm falling loose over her shoulders. A long string of curses tumbled out of his mouth as he remembered to breath again.

"Daryl," Lilly gasped.

"You're okay, princess," he told her softly.

She sat up on her knees, bringing Daryl up with her. Her hands grabbed his face as she stared at him with wide eyes. "Daryl, you're brilliant," she breathed. Before he had a chance to respond, Lilly had pulled him towards her and kissed him deeply. She released him long enough to say something about him being an "absolute miracle" before leaning in again and peppering his face with kisses.

"Calm down, woman," Daryl grumbled, batting her off of him lightly, though he was secretly just as thrilled. "Everything's fine now."

"Thanks to you," Lilly exhaled in relief. She rested her forehead against his, holding on to the collar of his vest as she caught her breath. "That was way too close."

Daryl shut his eyes and breathed her scent in. Listening to Lilly's soft inhales and exhales helped to pace his own racing heart. Lilly was right, that had been way too close. He couldn't believe that his plan had actually worked. Anything could've happened. A few minutes ago, Daryl had been cursing fate's cruelty. Now, he was thanking it for the surprising blessing the walkers had been. For once in his life, Daryl was extremely glad to have the reanimated corpses around.

The rest of the group began to emerge from their hiding places, congregating near the road in a daze. Daryl took Lilly's hand and helped her up. He didn't let go as they both made their way out of the bushes, stepping over the walker bodies strewn around them. Lilly paused over the walker Orren had taken his anger out on. The corpse had deep dents in its ribs, its face smashed into an indecipherable mesh of rotten blood and flesh and bone. The damage one man had done in less than a minute was horrific.

She shivered, only tearing her eyes away when Daryl gave her hand a gentle tug. His blue eyes were soft as they locked with hers. "C'mon." Lilly turned her back on the mutilated walker and followed him over to meet the group.

"What. Happened?" T-Dog demanded, his expression stretched into awe, as if he'd just seen an angel.

"Daryl's a genius," Lilly said quietly, gently squeezing his hand..

Everyone gave Daryl looks of the utmost praise, smiling and complimenting him on his quick thinking. They patted his back and expressed how lucky they were that he'd managed to save them all. Daryl shuffled his feet awkwardly, hating the attention. He'd just been trying to protect Lilly and the group as anyone would have done. "No need to fuss about it," the hunter grumbled. Lilly bumped her head into his shoulder affectionately.

"Was that all of Cain's men?" Maggie wondered out loud. "There were only three, right?"

"Looks like Daryl took out more of them than we thought," Rick concluded hopefully. He gave Daryl an expectant look.

Daryl shrugged noncommittally. "Maybe."

"We could've taken them," Carl piped up. Lori gripped his shoulders tight, jaw dropping in protest. The young boy shrugged out of her grip. "We were all hiding, we could've ambushed them."

Rick laid a placating hand on his son's shoulder. "Too risky. They were armed to the teeth."

"They passed us right by," Glenn beamed. "You know what that means, don't you?" Everyone looked at him, their expressions making it clear that they did not. Glenn glanced around and sighed. "Guess where they _aren't_ at?"

"Blackforest Retreat," Beth whispered in answer.

"We could go back, we could see if any of our supplies got left behind," Glenn nodded excitedly. "They couldn't have fit it all in one car. And at the very least, we could get some of our vehicles back."

The thought of not having to walk through miles of snow made everyone twitch with anticipation. Glenn was right. There had to be some supplies left there. Leftover clothes, a few tents, maybe even some of the less appealing food. What was left of Cain's men would only need enough to sustain three people. They wouldn't be stupid enough to haul along additional and unnecessary gear.

"Now hold on," Rick stepped up, interrupting eager whispers passing through the group. "We don't know what we'll find there. It could be dangerous. The men could always turn around and come back."

"Rick, they're out here searching for us," Glenn appealed. "The last place they'll expect us to go is back there. Maggie and I could see through the windows of their car - they're packed to stay on the road for a long time."

Rick considered Glenn with his hands on his hips, still very reluctant. His worries were valid, but there was too much to be gained to not take the chance. Everyone waited in silence, wordlessly urging him to make the right choice.

As a final statement for his case, Glenn stepped forward and gestured to the road where the car had disappeared down. "We know where those men are. The only smart thing to do is head in the _opposite_ direction, and that's where Blackforest Retreat is."

While everyone waited for Rick's answer, Lilly had mixed feelings about it. On one hand, it would be really good to get supplies that they desperately needed. Having cars again would save a lot of time and energy, and she was definitely in favor of staying out of the cold. Hypothermia was not an experience she wanted to repeat or have anyone else go through. On the other hand, what if Orren and the others came back and found them? It didn't help that she had almost been raped in that cabin. She knew that the building would forever be tainted by those horrific memories.

She felt herself grow distant as Rick finally relented. "Alright. It'll be a two day journey at least. Let's get going."

Everyone hopped into motion animatedly, eyes alight with the idea of getting their supplies back and the relief of not getting caught. They quickly formed a procession down the side of the road, walking in pairs and trios, Rick taking the lead as always. Daryl released Lilly's hand and hung back to walk at the end of the parade. Lilly meandered along in front of him, quickly deciding to slow down so she could walk at the hunter's side.

Looking down at her, Daryl noticed a vague expression on Lilly's face and frowned. It wasn't unusual for her to be quiet, but there was a strange stillness in her. He glanced up to see that they were far back enough to be out of hearing and gently nudged Lilly's side as they walked. "What's wrong?"

Lilly blinked out of whatever thought she'd been wrapped up in and shrugged. "What makes you think something's wrong?"

Daryl huffed. "Nothin'. Just checking in." He knew Lilly would tell him if she wanted to. They both fell silent again. Daryl could feel something brewing in Lilly's head and knew it wouldn't be long before she spit it out.

Just as he figured, Lilly eventually spoke up. "How do you feel about going back? To the cabin?"

Daryl took a minute to answer. Honestly, he felt weird about it. As far as survival and strategy went, it was the best plan they had and he supported it completely. But something just seemed strange about the situation. "I dunno," he finally admitted to Lilly. "We need the supplies and the cars. But it feels a little odd."

Lilly nodded in agreement. "Maybe it's because of what happened… I get the feeling that's all I'm gonna be able to think about." She contained a small shudder. Even now, her entire body tingled warily at the thought of those men's hands all over her.

Daryl swallowed back his own sick memories and sighed. "That's all over, Lilly. Nobody's ever gonna touch you again."

"I know", Lilly told him. She slipped her hand in his and looked up at with with a small smile. "Not with you around."

The corner of Daryl's mouth lifted as he glanced down at her. "So quit worryin'. Two days from now you'll be warm in a car, we'll have weapons, and everything will be back to normal."

Lilly narrowed her eyes with a playful smirk. "Hm… Define 'normal'."

Daryl responded by bumping into her side hard and almost making her lose her balance. "Zip it, princess."

Lilly's merry laughter rang happily through the crisp air. The group walked on, the contagious sound stretching some of their own faces into small grins. Their lungs loosened as they breathed easier with every step that distanced them from Orren and his men.


	28. Chapter 28

The day passed by rather quickly. It was much different traveling through the winter weather when it wasn't just Daryl and Lilly. There was less stress, their shoulders lighter knowing that they weren't the only ones taking care of each other. The comforting sound of people talking and the companionable feeling of simply being around others was one that even Daryl was happy to have for once.

They made a few stops throughout the day and snacked on the little food they had. Oatmeal mixed with melted snow wasn't terribly exciting, but it would keep them going long enough to get to Blackforest Retreat. With the blizzard long past now, the sun was fully emerged from behind the clouds and helped keep the chilly temperatures from getting too threatening.

Nighttime was a little different. The temperature dropped with the sun. Huddling in their jackets and blankets, the group worked together to form a few lean-to's against trees a little ways off the road. They lit a small fire in the middle, Rick crouching near it as he prepared to take first watch. The others grouped together for warmth in the lean-to's they'd created and settled in to sleep.

Daryl and Lilly opted to stay together in their own lean-to. Neither of them were super comfortable with getting squished against a bunch of bodies, preferring to help each other stay warm instead. It felt strange as the couple leaned against the tree trunk and Lilly rested her head on Daryl's shoulder. They'd done this before, but were now surrounded by the group they'd almost died trying to find, their relationship so much stronger after what happened at the ranger's station. In spite of the weird, almost nostalgic feeling, Lilly easily decided she liked it better this way.

Daryl had the fourth and last watch of the night. Glenn nudged him awake and tiredly shuffled off to sleep next to Maggie. As he watched him go off, Daryl bit back a yawn and found himself struggling to find motivation to get up. Lilly's small frame was so soft and warm against him, her foresty scent soothing, her even breathing lulling him back to sleep. Everything about Lilly was wrapping up his mind in an enchanting embrace. It was irritating. But nice.

 _But irritating_ , Daryl mentally grumbled, finally prying his arm from Lilly's grasp and easing her off his side. Lilly stirred and let out a small moan of protest, tightening her hands on his arm and burying her face into his shoulder.

"Where're you going?" she mumbled tiredly.

"Gotta take watch."

Lilly huffed and didn't budge, refusing to release Daryl. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes and yawned widely. Her hand slid down to Daryl's and entwined her fingers with his. "'M coming too," she croaked, voice scratchy with sleep.

Daryl buried his face in her hair. "Nah," he told her softly. "You were gettin' some sleep for once."

"'Cause you're here," Lilly told him. "Come on. I'll have nightmares anyway."

Knowing it was useless to protest, Daryl relented and squeezed her hand. "Fine."

Fingers intertwined, Daryl helped Lilly out of the lean-to and lead her to sit down by the small fire in the center of camp. It was barely alive, the tiniest of flames flickering timidly. Lilly leaned forward and took a few twigs from the pile they'd made nearby so that nobody would have to wander around at night to get more firewood. She busied herself on feeding the fire and helping build it up just enough that it wasn't on the verge of sputtering out.

The sky was crystal clear and littered with twinkling stars. Moonlight flooded across the snow and made it look like it was glowing. Daryl glanced around at the sleeping group, for once at peace with the situation. He sat with Lilly in companionable silence for a good hour without incident.

That's when a twig snapped somewhere in the distance. Daryl was immediately crouched on his feet, automatically reaching for a crossbow that wasn't there. Lilly froze with a stick in her hand, peering through the tree's intently. The pair both waited in utter silence, their eyes picking through every shadow and crevice in the forest. Something rustled around in the darkness, clearly far away.

"What do you think it is?" Lilly whispered.

"Only one way to find out," Daryl answered quietly.

Without further ado, Lilly stood and swiftly moved in the direction of the sound. Daryl blinked in surprise. He'd intended to go himself and leave her by the fire, but she clearly had different ideas. "Lilly, wait," he tried to call out without waking anyone or getting the mystery intruder's attention. Either she didn't hear him or was simply ignoring him, as she didn't stop for a second. In moments, Lilly was carefully picking her way into the shadows and away from the camp. Swearing under his breath, Daryl came after her, following her away from the light of the fire and into the trees.

There was more rustling far off, and Lilly kept her body low to the ground as she crept closer to it. Behind her, Daryl's attention was split between the girl and the thing in the forest. Lilly moved like some ethereal creature of the night, slinking through bushes and shadows, barely making a sound. The only reason Daryl was able to follow her was the small footprints she left in the moonlit snow.

It wasn't long before the source of the disturbance was discovered. Lilly came to a halt between some trees and sunk to the ground. Daryl came to a crouch behind her protectively. A few yards away, a walker was stumbling through the trees. Moonlight fell down on the reanimated corpse like a spotlight. It was a larger body, well built with muscle that must have once been the pride of this man. On thick legs, the walker managed to keep balance in spite of its towering height. A tattered wife-beater hung off his round shoulders. His jaw drooped off of his sunken face, thick blood vessels sticking out of his pallid skin. He slowly tripped on closer, snarling and hissing excitedly at the smell of live bodies nearby.

Daryl rolled his eyes in annoyance. Barely even a threat. Without a second thought, he reached up again for a crossbow that wasn't slung over his shoulder, then huffed in frustration when he remembered he didn't have it. From his spot crouched between the trees, he looked around for something to take the walker out with. As his eyes fell on the empty space in front of him, he froze.

Lilly was sneaking towards the walker, only feet away from it. Her small figure scurried through the bushes and behind tree's like a ghost. "Lilly," Daryl hissed. What did she think she was doing?

The walker snapped his large jaws as it heard Daryl and took a few quick steps towards him. Daryl rose from his crouched position, prepared to take the thing out with his bare hands, when the large corpse paused. A loud squelching noise sounded, and a moment later, the body had fallen face down in the snow with a thump. Lilly stood behind it, her hand clutching a bloodied stick.

Daryl blinked in awe. As his eyes met Lilly's, she gave him a small, slightly cocky grin. With blood sprinkled onto her pale face, moonlight shining down on her long, tangled hair, she'd never looked more beautiful.

Covering his wonder with a look of indifference, Daryl snorted. "Bit tall for you, wasn't that one?"

"I jumped," Lilly responded without missing a beat. She dropped the bloody stick and grimaced at the sticky liquid that had gotten onto her hand.

"Here," Daryl stepped around the walker's now unmoving body and pulled out the rag that was always in his back pocket. He wrapped her hand in the material and gently wiped the blood off. Lilly watched on, standing a little taller, pleased with her success. When Daryl finished with her hand, he gently took her chin and tilted her face up towards him. He meticulously dabbed the small drops of blood off of her nose and cheeks.

Lilly thanked him quietly when he finished, tucking the rag back into his pocket. She put her hands on his shoulders and stood on her toes to kiss him quickly, pulling away with a smile. Both stepped away from the walker and headed back to the camp to finish their watch.

The next morning, waking up was slow but optimistic for the group. Everyone stretched out their limbs, achy from the cold though not severely so. After using the fire to melt some snow and heat up a few packets of oatmeal, Lilly stamped it out and helped Carol pass around portions of food to the group. Rick pulled Daryl aside while everyone ate.

"Thought I heard something last night," he told the hunter. "Anything happen?"

"Just a walker," Daryl responded with a shrug. "Lilly took care of it."

The corner of Rick's mouth lifted at the thought of little Lilly, almost feeling like a proud father. "Strange that we used to think she wouldn't make it," he mused.

Daryl breathed a small chuckle. "Yeah, she's done alright." He thought back to last night, when he'd twice reached for his crossbow and twice been disappointed to remember it was gone. "Would feel better with some weapons," he thought out loud.

"We should reach Blackforest Retreat by nightfall," Rick nodded. "Hopefully we'll find some there."

"You sure it'll be safe?" Daryl frowned, sensing Rick's own unease.

Rick shuffled his feet in the snow with a sigh. "No, I'm not. But what other choice do we have? We need supplies. Going as we are now, we won't last long without it."

Daryl chewed on his bottom lip, unable to shake his own discomfort with the idea. Rick was right, he knew that. Blackforest Retreat was the group's best shot. They couldn't afford to risk wandering out in the cold, not with their limited supply of food and lack of weapons. His gaze unconsciously sought out Lilly, who was currently laughing brightly at something T-Dog had said. The sound chimed through the air happily, her smile wide and carefree for once. Daryl wanted her to be this way forever. He couldn't bare to see her scared one more time. Lilly had already had enough fear in her life.

He had to protect her at all costs, and Daryl knew that he couldn't do that as well as he'd like without weapons. So Blackforest Retreat it was.

Shrugging his jacket tighter over his shoulders, Daryl jerked his head towards the rest of the group. "Then what're we waiting for? Sun's only up for so long."

…..

The day went by all too quickly. It was strange that the journey back to Blackforest Retreat was so short, considering they had spent almost a week moving _away_ from it. Lilly supposed it was due to the fact they were travelling along the road now, rather than wandering aimlessly through the forest.

As the sun started to go down, Lilly couldn't help but eye the tire tracks on the road with apprehension. Those tracks belonged to Orren and the others, left behind from when they left the cabin to find Rick and his group. They should have made Lilly feel better as they were an indicator that Orren had left and not returned, but instead they left a pit in her stomach. She viewed them more as cruel reminders that the sick men were out there, existing somewhere, thirsty for blood.

Daryl could see the way Lilly's shoulder's sagged with the weight of stress as they drew closer to their destination. He could sense her anxiety increasing with every step, could practically hear the rush of thoughts and memories swirling around in her mind. Without even needing to ask, Daryl knew that Lilly was mentally reliving the memories of their escape and of what almost happened to them. He knew what she was thinking of, because he couldn't stop thinking about it either.

There was just enough sunlight left that they could see each other's silhouettes. The snow almost looked blue as the sky got darker. The temperature was beginning to drop, crystallizing everyone's breath and sending chills up their spines.

At the front of the group, Rick came to a stop and squinted. "We're here. Everyone needs to say quiet from this point on."

Sure enough, before him was the sign on the side of the road that read 'Blackforest Retreat'. Tire tracks and footprints from Orren's departure littered the snow, the only sign that they'd been there at all. A tense silence fell over the entire group as they eyed the old tracks and the sign. Nobody knew what to expect once they reached the cabin.

With only the crunch of snow under their feet in their ears, the group followed Rick past the sign and onto the side road that led to the cabin. Daryl and Lilly stayed at the back, their arms brushing against each other's for assurance. Lilly kept her gaze forward, peering over the heads of the group nervously. Daryl did the exact same thing, anxious to see what lay ahead.

Like a slumbering monster, the intimidating silhouette of Black Forest Retreat emerged from the darkness. The group came to a stop a few yards away from the fence so they could make an assessment. From outside, it appeared that nothing had happened at all. All of the group's vehicles, save for one, were parked on the property and covered with snow. A couple additional trucks were parked nearby, also buried in white. The sight of Cain's old vehicles was unsettling, to say the least. No light came from the building's windows, and from where the group stood, the cabin looked as empty as when they'd first found it.

At this point, a few stars were beginning to twinkle to life in the sky, the sun leaving the moon to take its place. All was completely still and silent. So far, all signs pointed to Blackforest Retreat being safe for the time being.

"So far so good," Rick uttered quietly, turning to address the group. "But let's not take any risks. I don't want Lori, Carl, Hershel, or Beth goin' inside until we're sure it's clear."

"I'll stay with them," Carol volunteered.

Rick gave him an approving look. "Good. If you see anything out of the ordinary, you warn us if you can, but get out of here at all costs." Carol nodded in understanding. Lori clutched Carl close to her, not liking this talk of what to do if something went wrong. Everyone hoped beyond hope that all went well.

Rick continued firmly, set on getting this all over with. "Everyone else, split into two groups. I'll take one group through the front, the other through the back."

Daryl stepped forward quickly. "Lilly and I will take the back." He wanted to be sure that Lilly was at his side at all times, not wanting her out of his sight for a moment. Lilly was more than okay with that, needing the security Daryl brought to keep her head level.

"T-Dog, you go with them," Rick ordered. "Maggie and Glenn, with me."

"Let's do this," T-Dog shifted his weight back and forth eagerly.

Turning back towards the cabin, Rick took a deep breath and nudged the gate open with a hand. The fact that it was left unsecured was encouraging - there was no reason to keep a place locked up if you didn't plan on returning. Wincing out the loud creak of metal, they watched as the gate swung open and began to slip through.

"Be careful," Lori pleaded softly.

"We'll be fine," Maggie gave her a reassuring smile before following Glenn through the gate.

All senses on high alert, Lilly stepped onto the property with Daryl leading the way. The hunter glanced back at her and T-Dog. "C'mon." He broke into a jog, Lilly and T-Dog following suit as they made their way around to the back of the cabin. With a final wave of good luck at Rick, Lilly rounded the corner and locked her eyes on the pair of angel wings in front of her.

Daryl, Lilly, and T-Dog all reached the back door of the cabin quickly and came to a pause, listening intently for any sign that someone was inside. After a moment of tense silence, Daryl exchanged a look with T-Dog. Then, his eyes fell on Lilly. "Ready?"

Lilly swallowed back a lump of anxiety and pursed her lips. "Ready."

With bated breath, Daryl cautiously tested the doorknob to find it unlocked. The door swung open easily, it's hinges complaining only slightly at the movement. Lilly peaked around Daryl as their first view of the inside was revealed.

It was way too dark. The hallway that was once familiar to the group now looked slightly haunted. Potential monsters seemed to lurk in every shadow, around every corner. The doorway gaped open before the three survivors, beckoning them inside like some sort of mouse trap.

Daryl's booted feet took careful steps into the hall, Lilly and T-Dog right behind him. A gust of wind followed them inside, brushing Lilly's hair across her face. She flicked it out of the way quickly and looked to the right. The door leading to the living room sat in waiting. All three regarded it with apprehension. This was the room where the group had crawled through a window to escape. The same room that Daryl had almost died in, that Lilly had almost been ravaged in.

Daryl moved to open the door, but to his surprise, Lilly beat him to it. Shoving away all thoughts of what had happened and what might have been, Lilly summoned her courage and boldly twisted the doorknob. With a gentle nudge, the door cracked open and she peered into the room. Both T-Dog and Daryl watched patiently. After a moment, Lilly turned to give them a nod, saying it was clear, and slipped inside.

They were met with an encouraging sight. Even in the darkness, it was clear that the room was littered with various supplies. The trio spread out, checking every shadow and nook for a sign of danger - a body, a walker, anything. Daryl nearly stepped on a cylinder-like object and bent down to discover it was a flashlight. Pleased with his luck, he picked it up and switched it on.

The beam of light helped illuminate the room and made searching it much easier. Walking with more confidence now that she could see better, Lilly crossed the room and stopped at what looked like a junk pile. There was a ton of the group's clothes tossed in, especially the women's things. It only made sense - one would hope that Orren and his men didn't have a use for women's clothing. Discarded garbage was mingled with the pile, empty boxes that once contained canned goods. As Lilly sifted through its contents, her hand landed on something cold and hard. She wrapped her fingers around it and lifted, only to find that the object was quite heavy. Using both hands, Lilly pulled the mystery item from the pile and immediately grinned.

"Daryl," she called quietly, standing and crossing back to where he was examining the fireplace. "I've found an old friend."

Daryl looked up at her with a frown, his entire face brightening as he saw what Lilly was holding; His crossbow.

The hunter eagerly handed Lilly the flashlight in exchange for his weapon, running his hands over it to check for damage. It was practically untouched.

"Looks like they were too stupid to figure out how to use it," Lilly smiled.

"Didn't even think to take the arrows," T-Dog spoke up, approaching the pair with a sling of arrows in his hands. Daryl took them and slung them over his shoulder, feeling much more empowered now that he was reunited with the weapon that had served him so well throughout the apocalypse.

The happy moment was cut off by the sound of footsteps above them. Lilly glanced at the ceiling timidly. "That's gotta be Rick, right?"

"I should hope so," T-Dog murmured.

"We can look through the rest of this stuff once we've cleared the rest of the cabin," Daryl said as he armed his crossbow. With its comforting weight back in his arms, he felt ready to take on the world. "C'mon." He wasn't the only one to feel reassured by the weapon, Lilly and T-Dog following him with more confidence.

They left the living room and continued down the hallway. Just as they moved to round the corner to the kitchen, a set of footsteps on the stairs brought them to a halt. Daryl aimed his crossbow at the staircase, Lilly pointing her flashlight in the direction the noise came from. "Rick?"

"Just me," was Rick's quiet response. Daryl immediately relaxed his aim while Lilly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Scared the crap outta me," T-Dog mumbled.

Rick came down the stairs, followed by Glenn and Maggie. "Upstairs is all clear," Glenn announced. Rick eyed Daryl's crossbow approvingly.

"We still have some rooms to check down here," Daryl told them.

"Great, let's spread out. Just a few bedrooms and the kitchen." Stepping around Daryl, Rick headed down the hall to check a bedroom. Maggie followed while Glenn and T-Dog went to check the other bedroom. That left Lilly and Daryl to take the kitchen.

The kitchen didn't have a door, so the pair peaked around the corners of the archway before stepping inside. Daryl kept his crossbow ready to shoot, looking under the table and scanning the corners of the room. Lilly adjusted her flashlight in her hand and checked the cabinets under the sink, feeling fairly secure at this point. After seeing that the cabinets were empty and free of danger, she moved to open the pantry door. The moment the beam of her flashlight hit the inside, she staggered back with a yelp.

Daryl jumped at the sound and was rushing to Lilly's side in a flash. The girl stumbled away from the pantry, her back hitting the edge of the counter with a thump. The flashlight clattered to the ground. "Someone's in there," she gasped.

Daryl aimed his crossbow at the dark shadow that was the pantry and waited for something to come out. But nothing did. A long, rattly sound floated to their ears and Lilly let out a breath. _Just a walker_. Heart still pounding from the scare, she slowly bent down and retrieved the flashlight she'd dropped. Lilly directed the beam of light at the pantry and winced at the sight.

One of Cain's men was curled up on the floor of the small closet. Angus, she thought she remembered him being introduced as when they'd first met Cain. His skin was shiny with sweat and deathly white, sunken eyes bloodshot, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. A gurgling sound escaped his throat as he listlessly gazed at them.

Daryl was about to pull the trigger when he heard something more.

"St… St…" Angus was trying to speak. With a jolt, Daryl realized that the man was still alive.

"What happened to him?" Lilly wondered aloud, unable to tear her eyes away from the sickly image.

The corners of Angus's mouth twitched as he gagged on what must have been a laugh. "Pneumonia," he wheezed. "No meds…"

"You deserve to die," Daryl scowled, readying his crossbow to fire once more.

"Wait…" Angus gasped weakly. " _Wait_."

"Daryl." Lilly put a hand on the hunter's arm and lowered his aim. Ignoring the look of frustration he gave her, she crept forward and crouched down in front of Angus, eyeing him warily. "What is it?"

Angus choked on another laugh as his bloodshot eyes blearily met hers. "Stupid girl," he managed to whisper. "Should've… stayed… away…"

Lilly's heart sunk and her muscles tensed. "Why?" she breathed, though some part of her already knew the dreaded answer.

Angus coughed up a glob of blood, the red liquid staining his teeth and lips. He tried to take in a breath, but his lungs were too clogged up. Coughing again, he gagged on his own blood but kept his eyes glued on Lilly's. She stared into his dim iris's with a very sick feeling. They held something that was a almost a sense of… regret.

"They went… to find me… meds…" he managed between coughs and gasps for air. "They're… coming… back…"

With that last message of doom, Angus's eyes rolled back and he choked on his last breath.

With wide eyes, Lilly shakily stood and backed up so that she was at Daryl's side again. The hunter easily aimed his crossbow and let an arrow fly into Angus's head before the corpse could reanimate itself. The pair stared at the arrow lodged in its target as they processed what they'd just heard.

"We need to get out of here," Lilly uttered. Without another word, she stepped forward and yanked the arrow out of Angus's head, handed it to Daryl, and rushed out of the kitchen. Daryl followed quickly, sticking the arrow back in his crossbow and preparing it to shoot.

They ran into Rick in the middle of the hall, his face concerned. He'd heard something happen in the kitchen, and the looks of dread on Lilly and Daryl's faces was enough to let him know that it was nothing good. "What's wrong?"

"They're coming back," Lilly told him quickly. "We need to go."

Rick tensed and gave her a brisk nod. "Alright. Let's grab what we can and get moving."

"There's no time for that," Lilly protested. "We need to leave _now_."

"They're not here yet," Rick tried to reason with her. "We'll be long gone before…"

"Listen," Daryl interrupted him. They all fell silent, watching Daryl expectantly. His eyes were wide, his hands gripping his crossbow so tightly that the knuckles were white. After a moment, everyone heard a sound coming from outside. Their hearts jumped in horror.

Gunshots. Screams.

It was too late. Orren and his men were back.


	29. Chapter 29

Lilly looked up at Daryl in absolute terror. "They've got them..."

"Lori," Rick finished hoarsely. "Carl."

"Beth and Daddy," Maggie added.

"Carol," T-Dog finished.

Glenn looked ready to throw up. "We've gotta help them!" He started running for the front door, but Daryl roughly grabbed the front of his jacket and pushed him back.

"We can't just go runnin' out there," the hunter growled. "We've got one crossbow up against three guns. Gotta be smarter than that."

"Daryl's right, so what do we do?" Maggie asked. Everyone turned to Rick expectantly. The ex-cop was frozen under their stairs, his fists clenched and sweat forming on his head as he scrambled for a solution. While Rick thought, the sounds of gunshots and shouting carried over into the cabin mockingly. It was sickening. Lori, Carl, Beth, Hershel, and Carol had all stayed outside where it'd be _safer_. Now, the plan had backfired and they were the ones potentially being shot to death.

Nobody could focus on coming up with a plan. The sounds of panic and danger outside were far too distracting. There was no telling what was becoming of their loved ones. Somebody could already be dead for all they knew.

"There might be more weapons in the living room," T-Dog suggested after what felt like eternity.

Rick snatched the idea up and was running down the hall in a flash. The others followed him into the room. Lilly stood at the doorway and held her flashlight high, hoping to make it easier to see for everyone. In a mad rush, they scoured the room for anything that they could use to defend themselves. There wasn't much. In fact, there wasn't anything.

Chucking an empty toolbox to the ground, Rick swore loudly. "We've gotta find another way. Fighting them head on isn't gonna work."

"Rick, we can't hide or sneak attack them. They have half our group out there," T-Dog pointed out. "They already know the rest of us are here."

"Not all of us," Maggie spoke up. When everyone paused in confusion, she looked at Lilly and Daryl meaningfully. "As far as they know, Lilly and Daryl have been separated from the group."

Lilly tightened her hold on the flashlight. "You don't mean…"

The sentence was left unfinished as they heard the front door crashing open. Daryl grabbed Lilly's wrist and yanked her out of the living room doorway, pressing her firmly against the wall with an arm.

"Helloooo!" Orren called cheerily. His sing-song voice sent chills up Lilly's spine. "Riiiiiick! We know you're here. We have your friends at gunpoint. Come out and play!"

"There's no time," Rick whispered to Daryl and Lilly. "You've gotta go _now_."

"Rick -" Lilly started to protest.

Daryl kept a firm grip on her wrist and pulled her across the room to the window. Glenn was already pulling it open. Lilly hesitated, glancing back at her friends in despair. This felt far too close to last time she'd had to sneak out this window, leaving someone behind to get shot. She was terrified that this time, not everyone would make it out alive. There was only so much luck in the world.

"They killed Angus," Paul muttered, spying the dead body in the kitchen with a wrinkled nose. They were coming closer.

Daryl's placed a hand on her lower back and urged her to climb through the window. Lilly pushed back, leaning around Daryl to look at Rick. "We can't just leave you -"

"You'll find a way to help us," Rick assured her as calmly as he could, though he was clearly nervous. "I trust you both."

With that, Lilly allowed Daryl to push her through the window, landing in the snow below. A second later, Daryl landed behind her and the window was slammed shut. Before Lilly could catch her breath, Daryl was wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her towards him and the wall. He pressed them both against the side of the cabin and put a hand over Lilly's mouth. Together, the pair listened to the muffled sound of Orren bursting into the living room. There was shouting, several shots were fired. Lilly squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to stay calm, though the sound of gunshots possibly killing her friends was making it hard.

"Nobody move, or I shoot the boy!" Orren could be heard shouting. Lilly bit the inside of her cheek, hating the images that were floating through her mind. She couldn't bare to imagine the look on Carl's face as he had a gun pointed to him. "That's right, easy does it," Orren continued a little more calmly. Both Lilly and Daryl relaxed a little, knowing that the group was doing what they were asked and Carl wasn't going to get shot… yet.

It wasn't long before the chaos quieted down. Holding a finger to his lips, Daryl removed his hand from Lilly's mouth and slowly stood so that he could peek through the window. It was hard to see much, though one of the men was in the process of starting up a flame in the fireplace. The warm glow slowly stretched into the room.

Through the dusty glass, Daryl could make out the rest of his group on their knees near the fire. Their hands had been tied behind their backs and they'd been gagged with duct tape. Much to Daryl's relief, he did a quick head count and found that everyone was there. Glenn had a nasty gash on his head, Carol looked like she'd been shot in the arm, and Rick was keeping his weight off one leg, but at least they were all alive.

Lowering himself back to the ground, Daryl knelt in front of Lilly. "They're all okay for now."

Lilly let out a shuddering sigh of relief. "What are we gonna do?"

"'M not sure yet."

The reply was anything but reassuring. Lilly fisted the sleeves of her sweater in her palms and pressed them into her eyes while she thought. The first idea that popped into her head was one that made her sick, but it could work. "Daryl…" she whispered, looking at him timidly.

"Yeah?"

"Orren wants me," she started.

Daryl's eyes hardened and he fixed her with a firm glare. "No. Not again. Are you stupid?"

"I don't like it any more than you do, but we don't have a lot of options," Lilly hissed. "I can distract them, you can take them out while they're -"

"While they're busy feelin' you up?" Daryl interrupted harshly. "Not a chance. Think of somethin' else."

"It won't go that far," Lilly pressed.

"You don't know that, Lil. They've got guns. One wrong move, and somebody's head gets blown up. If you go in there, not only are you gonna have a bunch of creeps droolin' on you, but they're gonna be suspicious."

He had a point there. If they saw Lilly, chances were they'd assume Daryl was nearby. A suspicious man was a deadly man.

At least trying to keep her mind open, Lilly searched for another idea. "We could make some noise out here, see if one of them comes out and pick him off."

Daryl shook his head skeptically. "Whoever stays inside will get jumpy - might just start shooting."

"Well we can't just barge in there!"

"Shut it," Daryl snapped, his voice taut with stress. "I'm thinkin'."

As long as those men had guns in their hands, they had the power to kill someone in a split second. Lilly let out a puff of air, running her hand through her hair in frustration. A distraction was the only thing she could think of that wouldn't get someone killed immediately. And the only thing she could think of that wouldn't send guns blazing immediately was...

"Who to kill first…?" Orren questioned loudly. Daryl and Lilly both tensed.

"We don't have a lot of time," Lilly muttered. Squaring her shoulders, she licked her lips. "Daryl, I know you don't like it -"

"No, Lilly."

"Listen to me!" She grabbed Daryl's face and forced him to look at her. "I trust you. _I trust you_ , Daryl. Now I need you to trust me."

Daryl's eyes were flickering with a variety of emotions - stress, anger, even a little bit of fear. "It's too much like last time, Lil…"

"We survived last time. We can survive again."

Daryl drank in the sight of her face, so determined and brave in spite of the anxiety he knew she was feeling. Her cool hands were soft on his face, her breath tickling his skin as she waited for him to relent. If it wasn't Lilly, Daryl would have agreed that the plan was their best bet in a heartbeat. But the idea of letting those men look at her wrong for even a second was enough to make him see red.

"Trust me." Lilly's eyes were aflame, her entire demeanor stronger than Daryl ever imagined she'd be. With those two words, his shoulders sunk and he knew that he had to let her go.

Sighing deeply, Daryl placed a hand on the back of Lilly's head and pressed a kiss on her forehead. "Be careful, princess."

Lilly granted him a shaky smirk. "You too."

The pair drank in in the sight of each other, their eyes flickering over one another's faces as if to memorize everything. There was no telling what was going to happen now. It was very possible that somebody would die tonight. As Lilly savored Daryl's comforting, secure presence, she ached to take her ludicrous idea back. That wasn't an option - they didn't have time to think of anything else. If she didn't move soon, Orren would shoot someone in the head.

"I saw you took out poor old Angus," the enemy's voice slipped past the window to Daryl and Lilly's ears. "I mean - sure, the son of a gun was gonna die soon anyway, but I didn't appreciate you all helping him along."

"I'll see you soon," Lilly whispered. Daryl's jaw clenched tightly and his eyes bore into hers with determination. The look was all she needed to know that he would protect her and the group for as long as he was breathing.

It took all the strength she had to finally tear her gaze away from the hunter and turn away. Forcing her lungs to inhale and exhale at a steady pace, Lilly crouched on her feet and sidled along the side of the cabin. She could feel Daryl watching her as she went, his stare burning a hole in the back of her head. Determined not to look back, Lilly glued her focus ahead and quickly approached the back door.

Thankfully, the door was still wide open from when she, Daryl, and T-Dog had first entered. That moment felt like hours ago - it was strange to think that it had only been ten or twenty minutes. A feeling or surrealness coated Lilly's mind and helped her to stay calm. Numbly, she stepped through the doorway and into the hall.

"Ricky-Boy, you'll be the last to go," Orren could be heard saying. "I want you to watch everyone else suffer." He was completely oblivious to the intruder slipping through the back door.

Lilly tiptoed into the hallway and paused by the living room door. It was wide open. She grit her teeth and peeked around the corner as much as she dared, relieved to see that all three men were currently facing away from her. Less comforting was the fact that they had their guns aimed at the heads of her friends. Daryl had been right - one wrong move and a bullet would be sent into someone's brain faster than anyone would be able to blink.

Pressing her back against the wall, Lilly shut her eyes and sent a quick prayer to whatever deity may be listening. Her heart pounded, her hands were clammy, and every instinct in her body was screaming that this was a terrible plan.

"Let's start with you, shall we?" Orren could be heard chuckling. One of the women in the group shouted in protest, though the noise was quickly cut off by a smacking sound. Lilly winced. The icky sound was all she needed to regain her courage and open her eyes.

Before she had any time to talk herself out of it, Lilly stepped into the living room and faked a startled gasp.

All three men whirled around. Their eyes locked on her with the force of a speeding train, hitting Lilly hard in the gut. Her knees felt like jelly, and for a moment she wasn't sure if she'd be able to stay standing. Swallowing back the massive lump in her throat, Lilly forced herself to be brave.

Her gaze landed on Orren and her heart began to pound loudly in her ears. Orren's bloodshot, crazed orbs widened in mad delight as they recognized the girl. His thin lips curled into a sickening smile. "Well look who just stumbled in. Hello, Lilly."

Lilly's mouth was dry, and it took her a moment to regain the ability to speak. "Orren."

Behind Orren, Rick was looking at Lilly with an expression of absolute disbelief. He tried to shake his head at her, to tell her this wasn't what he'd had in mind and that she should turn around and run. The rest of the group shared similar thoughts, all gaping at her with mixed versions of fear and horror.

Oblivious to the concerned captives behind him, Orren swung his gun around to point in Lilly's direction and stepped forward. "Color me surprised. Didn't think you'd be with your friends here. Where's the hick?"

The question was only to be expected. Lilly raised her chin up a little with a guarded expression. "Wouldn't you like to know?" She just had to distract them long enough for Daryl to take them out.

Orren clicked his tongue in disappointment. "Oh, really, sweetheart, I thought we were closer than this. You can tell me."

Lilly remained silent and glared at him. The knowledge that Daryl was close and preparing to put an arrow in Orren's skull was enough to give her strength.

Eyes hardening at her lack of response, Orren exchanged a look with the other two men and jerked his head ever so slightly. The action triggered cries of terror in the room as they immediately snatched Lori from her kneeling position by Rick and Carl, dragging her forward and aiming their guns at her head.

"Your friends lives depend on your cooperation, dear," Orren grinned sadistically. "This is what happens when you try to act like a hero."

The room was fluttering with exclamations of protest from behind the group's gags.

Lilly jumped forward and tried to put herself between the guns and Lori. "Wait!" Paul shoved her back roughly and she fell on the ground, quickly scrabbling back to her feet. Lori's eyes were wide with fear, her hands clutching at her pregnant belly protectively. Lilly came forward again, grabbing Paul's arm and trying to pull his aim away from the woman. " _Don't!_ "

"Sorry, Lilly, dear," Orren shrugged nonchalantly. He looked over at the two men and nodded. "Go ahead."

"He's dead!" Lilly yelled as Paul shoved her off of his arm. Just as the two men prepared to pull the triggers, Orren held a hand up to halt them.

The room fell silent. Orren's gaze bore into Lilly's and darkened. "Come again?"

Lilly was suddenly grateful for the fear that crippled her ability to speak with confidence. "He's dead," she said again, her voice a convincing facade of grief as it trembled. "When we escaped, everyone was shooting at us. One of you shot him near his heart. He managed to help me get away, but he died a few hours later." All three men remained tense, their muscles itching to carry out Lori's murder. Lilly quickly lowered her gaze to the ground and added, "I'm sorry for not just telling you."

Maybe she imagined it, but Orren seemed to slump slightly with relief. "What a shame," he spat, though the gleeful glint in his eye said otherwise. "For you, I mean." He walked towards Lilly, each step thick with ill intent. His hand reached out and a finger traced Lilly's jaw lightly. "Who's gonna stop me from having you now?"

The sound of something zipping through the air and a pop as it hit its target caught everyone by surprise. Before anyone could blink, one of the men by Lori collapsed to the ground. Everyone gawked at the body. The corner of Lilly's lip twitched as she took in the sight of an arrow sticking out of the man's temple.

"Hick!" Orren shouted in fury. Paul pointed his gun at the window that was now cracked open and allowed a wave of bullets to shatter the glass.

Relief flooded Lilly's body. Daryl's attack had begun.

The moment of triumph vanished in seconds.

In what felt like slow motion, Paul turned from the window and suddenly Lilly was face to face with the barrel of his gun. His finger tensed on the trigger, Lilly barely had time to gasp. Orren recognized what was about to happen a second too late as he tried to jerk the girl out of the way. His spidery hands on her shoulders, tugging her back, the deafening boom as the trigger was pulled and a bullet came flying towards her. Then Lilly was falling into Orren with ringing ears.

A moment of silence as the room processed what had happened, and then Orren's face twisted into a snarl of fury.

" _What did you do?_ " He threw Lilly to the ground and advanced on Paul. "YOU SHOT MY GIRL!"

"I'm not an idiot!" Paul seethed. "I know what I'm doing!"

"You shot her! The one person you weren't supposed to shoot!" Orren was livid, his bald scalp and ears blooming red as veins bulged under his skin. Rick was shouting in alarm from behind the duct tape on his mouth, struggling against his bonds.

Lilly couldn't feel anything. Not at first. From her place on the ground, she looked down at her body and didn't see anything to warrant concern. There was a sudden tug of pain in her hip. Before her eyes, red began to bloom from under her sweater. Lilly clamped her hand over the spot dizzily, watching with wide eyes as blood began making its way in between her fingers.

"I know what I'm doing!" Paul was still hollering. With frightening swiftness, he shoved Orren back and swung his gun back towards the window. There were several more gunshots. Somebody shrieked from behind their duct tape gag. Paul marched towards the gaping space where the window pane had once been and looked through it. Then he turned to Orren and sneered smugly. "See for yourself."

Orren glanced down at Lilly, who was clutching her side tightly, and then back up at Paul. Nostrils flared and breathing heavily, the bald man crept towards the window next to Paul, practically blowing smoke out of his ears. He peered out the window for a long moment.

For a while, Lilly wasn't sure what was going on. She couldn't make sense of it. But as she watched Orren's fists slowly unclench, his entire demeanor calming the more he stared at whatever was outside, fear and disbelief began to wriggle its way into her stomach. There was no way. It couldn't be possible.

Now eerily tranquil, Orren looked back at Paul with curled lips. "That was close."

Paul shrugged with an equally greasy grin. "Told you, I know what I'm doing." He swaggered away from the window and let his aim casually fall back on the captive group, who were all watching with bated breath.

As Orren approached Lilly, she moved to stand but winced at the pain shooting through her side. Ignoring her discomfort, the man knelt in front of her and peered at her face the way one might watch an interesting zoo animal. "You know what my friend Paul just did, Lilly?"

Something inside her knew exactly what Paul had just done, but she refused to acknowledge it.

"Funny how every time I think I've got you, a certain redneck gets in the way." Orren's mouth twitched with uninhibited joy. "Paul just made sure that never happens again."

Dread seeped into Lilly's bones. The plan had backfired. Paul had done the unexpected and shot Lilly. It must have been enough to shock Daryl into looking through the window to see what had happened to her, giving Paul the distraction he'd needed to send several bullets flying right towards his head.

"Hick's gone for sure, sweetheart." Lilly was vaguely aware of Orren's sickly touch on her skin as his fingers slid over her face. "You're mine now."


End file.
